A Public Good Approach: Learning from Ireland's Early Education and Childcare Reform

In the last ten years the Irish government, in close collaboration with a range of ECEC stakeholders, has been engaged in an exciting and ambitious change programme to create a universal ECEC system characterised by high quality, availability, accessibility, and sustainability. To further this agenda, the government is taking a more prominent public management and public funding role, forging a transformed partnership with ECEC providers. Change accelerated from 2019 onwards after the publication of a whole-of-government strategy, First5. This strategy reflected a commitment across government, with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth taking a leading role.

This brief’s focus, written by Professor Eva Lloyd OBE, is on the development and implementation of Ireland’s new funding model. It also describes how successive governments in Ireland worked with external partners, including academics, sector experts, unions, parent groups and voluntary sector associations to develop and implement these fundamental reforms. Although there is not a direct read across the two countries, the paper aims to offer opportunities for learning to enrich discussions about routes to reform in England.

The Snapshot

  • In the first year of the new funding model’s operation, the number of net nursery closures dropped considerably compared to the previous year (58 compared to 76)

  • The number of stand-alone out-of-school providers seeking re-registration for an expanded service increased by 261%

  • A 50% increase in parents accessing the NCS childcare subsidy for their children

  • 73% of members of the ECEC workforce had received improved pay

  • The number of settings offering graduate led provision increased

  • A fee freeze for parents meant fees did not increase between September 2021 and August 2023 and is set to remain in place

  • The First5 target of doubling ECEC funding by 2028 was reached five years early

Webinar: Learning from Ireland’s Reforms - Towards a Public Good Model for Early Education

28 November 2023

Speakers: Emeritus Prof. Eva Lloyd OBE (University of East London), Darragh O’Connor (Head of Strategic Organising & Campaignin, SIPTU), Frances Byrne (Director of Policy, Early Childhood Ireland)

Chair: Abby Jitendra (Principal Policy Advisor, Joseph Rowntree Foundation)

This webinar followed the publication of our latest report authored by Prof Eva Lloyd OBE, A Public Good Approach: Learning from Ireland's Early Education and Childcare Reform.

In the last ten years, the Irish government, in close collaboration with a range of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) stakeholders, has been engaged in an exciting and ambitious change programme to create a universal ECEC system characterised by high quality, availability, accessibility, and sustainability.

This webinar focused on the development and implementation of the new funding model that the Irish Expert Group was convened to design. We also looked at how successive governments in Ireland have worked with external partners, including academics, sector experts, unions, parent groups and voluntary sector associations to develop and implement these fundamental reforms.