Seanad debates
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Early Childhood Education
10:00 am
Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
For example, there are providers in Galway alone who explained to me that, based on the Department paying them for 38 weeks and the fact that they need to operate for 52 weeks or, at worst, 42 weeks, giving the parents ten weeks off, they will lose between €13,980 and €34,180 a year. That is a great deal of money.
This scheme will result in a large loss in child care places. A five-day service requirement will result in places not being fully utilised. Parents will not use the five days, leaving classes partially occupied. Parents should be allowed the choice of a shorter week on a sessional basis for their children legitimately within the scheme and I ask the Minister of State to look carefully at the model in the UK of a daily subsidy-based scheme.
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