Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Minister coming to the Upper House to discuss this matter with me.

A new national childcare scheme will be rolled out from this October which will replace previous childcare support programmes. The aim of this, as I understand it, is that parents of children aged from two to 15 years attending any Tusla-registered childcare service will be entitled to some level of financial support. However, one service provider in Carlow has flagged an issue with me, on which I seek clarification from the Minister today. Carlow Regional Youth Services, CRYS, is a local voluntary service in my own town which is affiliated with Youth Work Ireland. The service began more than 30 years ago in 1988 with one part-time worker and has grown year on year to provide direct programmes and services to young people at risk. It provides a substantial number of services and opportunities through community-based youth work programmes, including drop-in supports, specialised services for young people at risk, and leadership training. This great service with terrific volunteers and staff works with young people aged between eight and 23 years. While offering a comprehensive service to young people in the Carlow area with community-based projects in Graiguecullen, John Sweeney Park, and the youth café on Burren Street, there is also a strong focus on surrounding areas such as Tullow, Bagenalstown, Hacketstown, and Borris. It is a countywide support service that many families rely on. It works with a range of other agencies, including the HSE, the regional drug and alcohol task force, Carlow County Council, Carlow County Childcare Committee, the school completion programme and many others I would never be able to list completely. Its work is primarily divided into three age groups. It provides after-school services, homework support, a junior youth programme, and summer camps for eight to 12 year olds; a drop-in facility, planned youth work programmes, youth participation programmes, youth leadership training, and specialist support and services for 12 to 18 year olds; and volunteer training, youth work, accredited training, and some services for vulnerable young adults in their social time for 18 to 23 year olds.

The service has been in receipt of funding under the community childcare subvention, CCS, scheme for the three after-school projects. This scheme will, according to the Department's plan, be replaced by the national childcare scheme on 11 October 2019. The concern of this service and, I am sure, of many others like it, is that there is no provision in the new funding scheme for parents who are not working, for example, those on jobseeker's allowance, disability payments or the one-parent family payment. In fact, CRYS has highlighted to me that the children who require extra support have been completely forgotten about in the new scheme. If the scheme goes ahead as intended it would not be inclusive to all. Some 59 eight to 12 year olds attend the Carlow Regional Youth Service's after-school service daily. Their parents pay €5 per child per week to avail of this service. Under the new scheme parents will be required to pay €40 per child per week if they are successful in securing hours. The after-school service's main aim is to provide additional supports to children who need extra help to complete primary school successfully, which is huge. It accepts referrals from local primary schools, social workers, parents, the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, and the school completion programme.

For the after-school services this is huge. This is an essential service that is well-respected by parents, children, and the wider community, and plays a crucial role in supporting vulnerable children and families. If the national childcare scheme is implemented in its current format, the CRYS after-school service will be forced to close and vulnerable children and families will be denied this valuable support because the users will not be able to afford it.Will the Minister ensure robust provisions in the scheme in order that vulnerable children and families in Carlow can continue to avail of this service and can be given the support they need to thrive and enjoy their lives?