Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed the announcement that additional funding is being allocated to support children with disabilities to access State-funded pre-school.
The announcement sees a 10 percent increase in the Level 7 capitation rate under the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), which supports around 8,000 pre-school children with disabilities to access and participate in mainstream early learning settings.
Minister Canney said the announcement is a step forward in delivering on the Programme for Government commitment to examine and expand the Access and Inclusion Model: “The Access and Inclusion Model has transformed opportunities for children with disabilities to take part in pre-school alongside their peers. This additional funding recognises the vital work of early years educators and providers who are ensuring that inclusion is real and meaningful in every community.
The 10 percent increase will take effect from October 13th, matching the 10 percent rise in minimum pay for over 35,000 early years educators and school age practitioners under a new Employment Regulation Order, supported by the Government’s Core Funding Scheme.
Since its introduction in 2016, the Access and Inclusion Model has had a major impact on participation levels, with the proportion of services that have a child with a disability or additional needs attending increasing by over 50 percent. In total, more than 35,000 children have received over 80,000 targeted supports across 4,800 services nationally.
An additional €5.4 million has been allocated under Budget 2026, bringing the total AIM budget to €86.1 million, ensuring continued investment in inclusive early learning environments.
Minister Canney added: “This is about giving every child the best start in life. It reflects the Programme for Government’s vision of expanding and improving access to early learning and care for children with additional needs.”
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