Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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1. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs under the terms of the early childhood care and education scheme, if he will ensure that preschool services will be able to extend the provision they offer, given their concerns at their unsustainability under the 38-week capitation system; the negotiations or discussions he has had with the preschool sector regarding the capacity within preschools to handle the extension to the preschool year commencing in September 2016; and the gaps in capacity by county. [3396/16]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs give an update on the negotiations or discussions he has had with the preschool sector regarding capacity within preschools to handle the extension to the preschool year commencing in September 2016? Has he identified any gaps in capacity? If so, where are those gaps and how does he intend to alleviate them?

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge the considerable support of the child care sector, along with the flexibility of child care providers and staff, in ensuring the range of child care support programmes administered by my Department are implemented.

From September 2016, I am expanding the free preschool programme to allow children enrol in free preschool from the time they are three years of age and to remain there until they start primary school.

Following the budget announcement, I met with senior representatives from the early years sector to discuss the measures announced as part of the budget package. The meeting was positive and constructive, with all parties expressing commitment to work together on the issues of capacity and high quality preschool provision.

As a result of the budget extension, the number of children benefiting from the programme is expected to rise from 67,000 to 127,000 in a given programme year. For the 2016-2017 programme year, it is estimated 89,500 children will be eligible to enrol in the programme from September 2016, an additional 22,000 from January 2017 and a further 15,500 from April 2017.

I decided to introduce this new measure from September 2016 to provide the early years sector with the time to build capacity to meet the increased demand. As the increased demand for the programme is not expected to peak until April 2017, this timeframe should allow preschool providers to make any necessary infrastructural or service changes, as well as to put in place extra staff resources to accommodate the additional demand.

I am satisfied there is already additional capacity in the early years sector to cope with some of the increased demand. The annual survey of early years services, conducted in December 2014, estimated there are more than 24,000 vacancies in early years services across the country, with almost 13,000 of these vacancies in sessional services.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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It would have been more prudent had the Minister consulted with the sector prior to making the announcement. From my engagement with the sector, I am getting the impression there are significant concerns that there will not be sufficient capacity. In a reply to a parliamentary question I put down last year, the Minister stated he identified approximately 10,000 vacant places across the board. From his figures today, he will need an additional 22,500 by September 2016 for the free preschool year. That does not take into account the additional space required for the extension of the community child care subvention scheme.

Has a clear audit taken place of the exact number of vacant places? What measures is the Department going to take between now and September to ensure the required number of spaces will be available in September 2016?

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Every year a significant number of new preschool providers apply to participate in this programme. This increased demand for and additional investment in free preschool provision should encourage greater numbers of applicants. It is clear more capacity will be required. Officials in my Department are working closely with the city and county child care committees and voluntary child care organisations to identify measures to help increase capacity. My Department will also be making data available to the committees in the coming weeks, broken down by district electoral division area, to assist their work with providers to meet service demands.

There was extensive consultation prior to the development of this programme by the interdepartmental group with stakeholders and parents through meetings and online surveys. There are challenges with which the Department will be helping the sector to deal.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To be fair, I do not think the Minister gets it. He seems to be relying on the hope that more people will apply to provide the service in September. We are only seven months away from September. Will he tell us exactly how many spaces are available now? He has not answered that yet. What scheme has the Minister put in place to ensure there will be capacity if existing services need to expand? My understanding from dealing with the sector is that it is at breaking point and will not be able to provide extension to the scheme. Current services are having difficulties even recruiting new staff. I cannot see where all these additional spaces will come in September. The Minister is hopeful they will arise. I do not believe that is proper planning.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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There is capacity. Some of it has been taken up. Since the introduction and the announcement of the scheme, people who have been holding back sending their children to preschool, hoping to save the one year available up until now to start in September 2016, have availed of it. Over 5,000 extra children are now in the early childhood care and education programme as a consequence of the Government's decision already. Several initiatives have been taken to support the sector and build up extra capacity.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Such as?

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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There is the restoration of capitation rates to pre-2012 levels from September 2016.

The additional capitation for preschool providers was recently announced as part of the suite of Government-funded supports for children with a disability accessing the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme, and I know that is something the Deputy would be supportive of. There is funding of €1.5 million for the Learner Fund, which will allow up to a thousand early years practitioners to undertake and complete the level six qualification, which is a requirement for preschool leaders. There is funding of €4 million for early years capital 2016 programme. Efforts are being made to streamline applications for planning permission for preschool providers who wish to extend capacity to meet the increased demands of the ECCE programme. Officials of my Department have already met with officials in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on this. They have committed to publishing further information which will assist preschool providers and local authorities with planning permission applications and queries.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister should watch this space in September.