Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 488: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the way in which the recommendations of the working group of the national child care co-ordinating committee for the development of school age child care will be implemented in primary school premises which lack basic educational facilities, trained child care staff, child care management structures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32861/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

School age child care is an important part of the range of child care services which need to be developed and supported to meet the needs of parents and their children in the Ireland of 2005. The Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, EOCP, 2000-2006, which is implemented by my Department, has been an important landmark development in Irish child care policy.

It is widely acknowledged that the EOCP has been a highly successful programme which is now expected to result in the creation of almost 40,000 new child care places. This is particularly significant in the context of the increased labour market participation of women and the pressure for non-parental child care services which this creates. As the EOCP has developed, it has become clear that there is a need to make further progress in the specific area of school age child care services. Such services are often necessary to support the needs of parents for child care before, and or after, school hours as well as outside of school terms.

The national childcare co-ordinating committee, which brings together representatives from across the entire child care sector, recognised this need for improved school age child care services, by commissioning a working group on school age child care to develop a report. I was very pleased to launch the working group's excellent report on school age child care in Ireland, in June of this year.

The report makes a number of recommendations, some of which relate specifically to the use of school premises or school lands for the delivery of school age child care. These recommendations are clear that such usage must be appropriate in the particular circumstances and that any child care facility located in a school setting must be of a standard equivalent to the high, child-focused specification recommended for stand alone school age facilities, or for the school age child care elements of integrated services. This is in keeping with the overall objectives of the EOCP to provide a quality child care services.

The development of school age child care services is a very important and necessary part of the Government's commitment to supporting parents in their responsibility to provide appropriate care arrangements for their children into their teenage years. I am pleased, therefore, to inform the Deputy of the recent new initiative launched by my Department to stimulate local interest in the development of school age child care services. This initiative is being led at local level by the city and county child care committees and is intended to bring together all interested stakeholders, including parents, school boards of management, local authorities, other relevant agencies and child care providers. I am hopeful that this process will identify local service needs and local resources which are available to meet them.