Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006, EOCP, which was co-funded under the European Social Fund, ESF, targeted support was provided through the EOCP staffing support grant scheme. Community-based not-for-profit child care providers with a strong focus on disadvantage were awarded grant aid towards their staffing costs to allow them to operate reduced fees to disadvantaged parents. Funding under this scheme was originally awarded for a limited period during which services were expected to move towards sustainability. This funding was subsequently continued to the end of 2007, where it was considered necessary to enable services to remain accessible to disadvantaged parents. This continuation funding was subject to the condition that tiered fee structures were implemented by the services in question. However, in approximately half these services, it appears this was not the case.

Under the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010, the community child care subvention scheme continues to support community-based not-for-profit child care providers. Funding amounting to €158.2 million is expected to be allocated to the scheme between 2008 and 2010, a significant increase on the €37 million allocation in 2007 for the support scheme under the EOCP. While many services are in receipt of substantially increased levels of support funding under the CCSS, all services have been guaranteed funding of not less than 85% of the level of support they received under the EOCP in 2009, and not less than 75% in 2010.

Funding levels under the CCSS are calculated following the child care services making an annual return of parental declarations, which allows the level of disadvantage being catered for by the individual services to be established. The service in question has been notified by the child care directorate of my office that its funding level in 2009 totals €52,132, which consists of a subvention based on parental returns of €37,440 and a top up of €14,692, to bring the funding up to 85% of the annual funding level which previously pertained under the EOCP. The group had applied for capital funding of €720,000 under the NCIP to construct an extension to the facility and renovate and equip two existing rooms. It was notified recently that the programme's 2009 capital allocation had been finalised and the capital commitments made under the NCIP is sufficient to fully utilise the programme's funding in both 2009 and 2010 and that, therefore, that it was not possible to approve its grant application at this time.

I understand the group has notified Pobal, which administers the CCSS on behalf of the child care directorate, that the facility is due to close on Friday, 26 June 2009. A Fingal county child care committee development worker has spoken with the group and has informed Pobal that the main reason for the closure is the family resource centre is moving out of the building to new premises but is not bringing the child care element with it. Pobal's understanding is that the family resource centre was covering the general overheads of the building, which the child care service will now have to cover to stay in operation.

See this speech in context