Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

More than 4,200 partner services currently participate in core funding, which represents 95% of all services in the State. These services must operate in line with the core funding partner service funding agreement. With regard to fees, partner services must uphold their contractual obligations with regard to fee management, as laid out in this agreement. In the first year - we are still in that first year - partner services must not increase the fees charged to parents from those charged in September 2021. An increased charge of any kind for an existing and unchanged service type will be in breach of core funding rules. A partner service may create a new service type, but must ensure that the fee for any new service type will be calculated as not more than a proportion of the closest equivalent fee that existed on 30 September 2021.

Where a partner service increases the level of service offered, a higher fee can be charged for this, but that fee must be in direct proportion to the increase. For example, an increase in full-day care from 40 to 50 hours per week represents an increase of 25% in the level of service. A higher fee can be charged for this but it cannot exceed 25% more than the previous fee that was charged on 30 September 2021. Similarly, an increase in weeks from a 38-week offering to a 52-week offering must be charged proportionately. Parents of children attending a partner service that have identified a potential breach with regard to fee management may seek to have this examined and a conclusion reached through the core funding fee review process.

As of 26 May, Pobal is considering five such cases. Where a determination is made of a breach with regard to fee management, a partner service must provide evidence of remedy of that breach within 30 working days. Failure to do so may result in the termination of the core funding partner service funding agreement. I encourage any parent who is concerned about fees to contact his or her local city or county childcare committee in the first instance.

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