Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I have already outlined in my response to an earlier question, we administer two targeted child-care schemes involving community child care subvention, or CCS, and child care education and training support, or CETS, respectively. In the region of €260 million is spent annually to provide support to those programmes, including €175 million for the free pre-school year. The total number of children benefiting from support under the programme is approximately 100,000, which is very significant. My focus on quality services and the qualifications of staff means the support children get will improve continously. Staff will receive better training, services will receive mentoring and staff will complete their qualifications. It is also the case that there are now more than 2,000 inspection reports online.

I have commenced the review of CCS and CETS as a number of issues have been identified in the schemes, including varying rates for subvention and different eligibility criteria. I have commenced an internal review of these child-care support programmes to consider how best to structure them going forward. They have been in place for a number of years and it is time to review them. I will ensure that the participation of the wider child care sector in the review is considered as the internal review progresses.

I cannot say at present when the review will be finalised. It has just started and its scope is being determined. A review of the schemes should lead to improved targeting to ensure that those individuals who are going back to work obtain more support. I do not expect the review on its own to result in increased capacity as that is an issue of additional resources in the sector to increase the number of child-care places.

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