New grant to deliver additional early learning and childcare places in Louth

Childcare services in Louth will be able to increase their capacity by extending their premises through a new funding scheme, according to local Fine Gael TD, Paula Butterly.

A €10 million capital funding scheme has been launched to deliver a significant number of additional early learning and childcare places.

The Building Blocks Extension Scheme Phase 2 will provide grants for community and private early learning and childcare services who are Core Funding partner services to increase their capacity by means of extensions to their existing premises.

The scheme is open to Core Funding Partner Services that:

• will offer additional full-time places for the 1–3-year-old (pre-ECCE) age-cohort
• part time services, sessional services and school age childcare services that are willing to extend their operations to provide full time places for the 1-3-year-old (pre-ECCE) age-cohort
• will commit to opening for a minimum of 46 weeks per year, five days per week and 8 hours per day.

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Deputy Butterly said: “This is good news for early learning and childcare service providers in Louth. Community providers can now apply for a capital grant of between €100,000 and €530,000 to extend their existing premises. Private providers can apply for a capital grant of between €50,000 and €265,000 to extend their existing premises.

“Once completed, extended providers will be required to provide additional full-time places for one to three-year olds, ensuring the delivery of more high quality, affordable places, particularly for young children in Louth."

The closing date for applications is 31 July 2026. This will ensure that that all applicants have sufficient time to engage with their design teams and their solicitors prior to the closing date. The outcome of the appraisal process will be communicated to services in September 2026.

Successful applicants can commence their projects after 1 January 2027 and all projects must be completed by 31 December 2027.