Results 3,301-3,320 of 7,126 for speaker:Alan Farrell

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: It is a marvellous programme. Both of my children have gone through it.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: It is incredibly beneficial to young boys and girls around the country. Of course, it is incredibly beneficial to their parents too. Of the 20,000, did a fair percentage go into CCS, to the Department's knowledge, or is there an element of assumption in that? Is there something within the programme that is not working for parents? The age limit issue was resolved in 2018 and I would have...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: It is. It is a question I would love to ask both the Minister, Deputy Zappone, and the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, in the same room. It is a question I ask every December and January when my office is bombarded with parents saying their child is 35th on the waiting list for the local primary school. When I ask what age the child is and the parent says "four", I...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: It would be helpful to schedule some time at the committee later in the year to discuss the matter, as it is interesting. We might try to slot it into the work programme. In light of what the Minister has said, can the Department produce some figures on the uptake of the scheme, perhaps on a geographic basis? Are there any other measures the Department uses, including socioeconomic or...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: I was moving to capital, but the Deputy has asked a worthy question. The affordable childcare scheme is referenced on page 10 of the Minister's opening statement. The Minister said she is planning a phased regulation of school-age childcare services and has set aside €450,000 for a Tusla early-years inspectorate. The Minister said she hoped to begin to register services with effect...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: An area the State neglects in the overall context of childcare provision and early-years education is the tremendous service being provided across the State in after-school care services. We must ensure standards are being adhered to and that ratios, which are not set out, are put in place. We need to evaluate that. While €450,000 has been set aside for the regulation of the sector,...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: It might be difficult for the Minister to recall the following, but one of her officials might be able to support her on it. There was a pilot trial of an after-school care service in County Cork, which a former Chairman of this committee and now Minister of State with responsibility for older people, Deputy Jim Daly, discussed here a couple of years ago. Does the Department have any...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: In my view, they are State assets and they might as well be used.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: I will move on to the affordable childcare scheme. The Minister has proposed to increase the threshold by 26% to €60,000 income per household for targeted supports to be provided for those not in receipt of social welfare, which is very welcome. The entire programme has, regrettably, taken a little longer than anticipated but it will be a tremendous success in providing supports to...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: I am not dismissing the gift horse. I really am not.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: I did not realise that it is a net figure.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: I understand.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: I accept that it changes the dynamic of the conversation when it is a net figure.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: We would love to be able to do everything. I do not know how many times I have been asked when we are going to provide tax relief for childcare costs.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: Every time I am asked, I defer to this programme and the ambition of the Minister and the Department for what we want to achieve.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: I know that it is coming. It is beneficial for us to know that the figure referred to is net because that makes a significant difference. On the capital expenditure, an issue touched upon by Deputy Rabbitte is supports for childcare providers throughout the State. I would love to be able to tell constituents that we will provide additional supports to increase the number of childcare...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: I appreciate that. Deputy Mitchell referred to intervention programmes under subhead B8. My colleague, Senator Richmond, has raised the issue of the baby box scheme on many occasions. I only recently became aware of it. It is a great idea, which is being pursued in other European jurisdictions. Is the Department funding that initiative?

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: Will that cover a full roll-out?

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: That is a good question.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Alan Farrell: It is a lovely idea. My children are aged five and seven. It would have been particularly interesting to have received such a baby box on the birth of my seven year old at the start of my trial as a parent. I welcome the initiative and I thank Deputy Mitchell for mentioning it. I have no further questions on subhead B.