Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to detail (i) when a funding decision for the TinyStart programme will be made; and (ii) any assessment that has been made of the impact on children and families of a reduction in funding for the programme.
Minister of Education: The Budgets for 2026-27 have not yet been set by the Executive, therefore, I am not in a position to provide any commitments of funding for TinyLife beyond the current financial year. As a result, no formal assessments or discussions of the impacts on children and families of any potential reduction or withdrawal of funding for the TinyStart programme has been undertaken at this stage.
Any decision regarding future funding will be considered in the context of my Department’s 2026-27 budget allocation, the allocation of earmarked funding for the Executive Early Learning and Childcare Strategy and wider financial pressures.
ENDS
Your MLA 