Ms Bernie McNally:

With regard to mapping to ensure we build enough capacity, the forward planning unit in the Department of Education and Skills has been very helpful to us and, this week we hope, it will give us data on the number of children born in each electoral division and therefore the number of children eligible to enter ECCE in September, January and April. This will be detailed information which we will be able to pass on to the city and county child care committees in the coming weeks. We have them on stand-by to receive the information. They will then work with the providers to ensure they can build capacity. They will know where there will not be any challenge and where there will be some challenges. Where there are challenges, a number of measures will be taken. We will restore capitation from September next year. The Minister spoke about the learner fund and there will be a capital programme, which he is considering at present. The Minister will be inclined to put this capital money into ECCE services to help with this capacity agenda. While the interdepartmental group on disability is very much to the benefit of children, it will also help services which, in the past, absorbed some of this cost themselves. It will help a little with their sustainability and encourage expansion. We are doing a huge amount of consultation with the sector. Yesterday, we met all the city and county child care committees and voluntary child care organisations, which we meet regularly to ensure there is good communication. We speak to Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government about planning permission. Yesterday, we put up new frequently asked questions on our website to help providers with this. We are working very closely with them.

The question on community employment showed some concern for the individuals on these schemes. We are working very closely with the Department of Social Protection, which runs the scheme. It is very committed to continuing with the scheme and providing these people with training. When the regulations come in at the end of next year these people can continue in their training slot, they just cannot be part of the staff ratios. They can continue to finish their qualification, but outside the staff ratio.