Dublin, 10 October 2025 — Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley TD has announced a 10 percent increase in funding under the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) to strengthen support for children with disabilities in State-funded pre-school settings.
Expanded Support for Inclusion
The additional capitation, effective from 13 October, will directly benefit early learning and care providers who support children with disabilities to participate in mainstream pre-schools. Services can use the funding to reduce class sizes or hire additional staff, ensuring children receive the tailored support needed for meaningful inclusion alongside their peers.
Currently, around 8,000 pre-school children benefit from the highest level of AIM supports. Since its introduction in 2016, AIM has provided more than 80,000 targeted supports to 35,000 children across 4,800 services nationwide, significantly increasing the proportion of pre-schools welcoming children with additional needs.
Alignment with Educator Pay Increases
The funding boost coincides with a 10 percent rise in minimum pay rates for over 35,000 early years educators and school-age practitioners, introduced under a new Employment Regulation Order and supported by the Government’s Core Funding Scheme.
Minister Foley said the move reflects the government’s dual commitment to fair pay for educators and inclusive education for children:
“This increase recognises the essential work being done every day by early years educators to create inclusive, welcoming environments where every child can thrive. It ensures providers are appropriately supported in delivering high-quality care for all children through the Access and Inclusion Model.”
Broader Investment in Disability Supports
Under Budget 2026, an additional €5.4 million has been allocated to AIM, bringing its total budget to €86.1 million. The scheme, originally designed to support children during the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, was expanded in 2024 to provide assistance both in and out of term, for up to six hours per day.
Outlook
The funding increase is expected to further strengthen Ireland’s commitment to inclusive early education, ensuring children with disabilities can access the same opportunities as their peers while supporting educators in delivering high-quality, equitable care.
Source: Department of Children, Disability and Equality, Government of Ireland.
