Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that and thank the Deputy. I know that many childcare service providers and public representatives have concerns in that context. The process for the scheme which is one of the most popular involves determining attendance levels and, therefore, the amount per child to be paid in fees to each provider. A snapshot window has been used to identify a period of time of approximately four weeks. The provider is asked to look at each child's attendance during that period. This enables trends to be determined and recorded on the Pobal system. Eventually, Tusla may come along to see whether things are being done as effectively and accurately as possible. A number of instances of non-compliance have emerged during Tusla's work. In other words, there was a difference between the attendance figure identified by the service and included in the system and the number Tusla saw when its staff went to the service. That is what is going on and the response - it is still ongoing - is that my Department and, in particular, Pobal offer to work with the provider to look at the reasons for it. For example, it could have to do with sustainability issues. If it does, there is a programme and resource in place in the Department to deal with it. It works with providers individually and does not necessarily offer money initially. It may offer advice to enable providers to work more accurately. Resources are ultimately made available if needed.

I think the Deputy's question was pointing to what would happen as we moved to the affordable childcare scheme. We are on target for families to sign up their children to the scheme in October 2019, with payments set to begin in November. There will be another process to determine what the payment per provider will be, in accordance with the attendance and time requirements of each child availing of the services of that provider. After initial agreement is reached on what the parent requires, there will be a more general ongoing periodic report from the provider to Pobal setting out the child's attendance, as the provider sees it. I think and hope the process will be relatively straightforward. The ongoing monitoring can almost be described as a form of self-compliance, but I think it is more accurately attuned to the requirements of children, families and providers. We acknowledge that there has been a challenge and a difficulty in that regard, but supports are provided under the current system. A new system will be put in place as part of the affordable childcare scheme.

The Deputy also asked about the recruitment of social workers. Tusla has its own centrally managed internal recruitment process, known as Tusla Recruit. There are links with regional managers in recruitment. The process is being strengthened through regional developments and special campaigns are being used. They are visiting campuses where young people and mature students are completing their work and recruiting in that way. Tusla communicates regularly with students and partners through the application process. Obviously, they must ultimately also be registered through CORU.