Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 13 June 2019

Public Accounts Committee

2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs

9:00 am

Photo of Kate O'ConnellKate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I asked for a table before the break regarding the 3,000 or 4,500 service providers. When we get it, could it start with the providers receiving the largest amounts first? For example, if Deputy Aylward was getting an amount, I was getting less than him and another Deputy was getting even less, could we have it in that order? In the next column, could the table show the amount of money that providers gave back in overclaims in respect of 2017, 2018 and so far this year? If a company or organisation received €1 million and returned €10, could we have that information in the chart, please?

Deputy Cassells spoke about the uptake. When we introduced the second free preschool year, it had a negative effect on places for babies. Did the Department of Children and Youth Affairs not expect that to happen? The delegates will know more about this than me, but my understanding is that, given the staff bands, a higher staff ratio is required for small babies than big ones. From my experience and anecdotally, many facilities decided that it was not worth their while minding small babies when there was more money to be made minding bigger ones who needed less staff. Why was that a surprise? It would have seemed obvious when introducing the second year.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.