Children aged five and under whose parents are homeless are to be offered free childcare for 25 hours per week, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has announced.

According to the Minister for Children, Dr Katherine Zappone, 85% of children listed as homeless live in the Dublin region, and families registered as homeless in Dublin will benefit from this scheme from January, with other areas expected to follow after.

"This is an important initiative targeting a particularly vulnerable group of children who need additional supports given their situation. The provision of up to 25 hours of free childcare a week, to include a daily meal, will lift a huge burden from families," Minister Zappone commented.

The Department of Children will be working closely with Focus Ireland on this new scheme and according to its national director of services, Catherine Maher, while early childhood supports are important for most families, ‘they are particularly important for children struggling with the fact that their families are currently homeless'.

The move has been welcomed by the Children's Rights Aliiance (CRA). According to its CEO, Tanya Ward, it will provide ‘a much needed opportunity for children'.

"We know that most children living in homeless accommodation are younger children. Yet, these children do not have access to play facilities and are unable to develop at a basic level. We have heard heartbreaking stories of children who cannot learn to walk because of a lack of space," Ms Ward commented.

She said that the CRA was also pleased to see that a nutritious meal is included in this new scheme, as ‘good food is the cornerstone of a healthy childhood'.

"This will help to address the current situation where families living in hotel rooms cannot store or cook their own food, which is also negatively impacting on children's health," she added.

The department confirmed that funding of €8.25 million is being made available for the scheme and it will run for 50 weeks of the year.