Written answers

Wednesday, 12 November 2008

Department of Health and Children

Child Care Services

10:00 pm

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if he will agree to the request from a partnership (details supplied) to meet with them regarding the findings of their study of the community child care subvention scheme and its negative effects; if he will give full consideration to their findings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40220/08]

Photo of Barry AndrewsBarry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the recently published report by Dublin Inner City Partnership regarding the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) which was introduced by my Office in January 2008. I understand that officials in my Office were in contact with and provided information to the Partnership at the time of its drafting. While there are no plans to review the scheme at this point, in order to support the sustainability of the sector, I think it is important to provide a number of clarifications in regard to the purpose of the CCSS funding.

As I have said, the CCSS was introduced in January of this year, replacing a previous support scheme for community-based childcare services, both of which support community-based services to enable them provide reduced childcare fees to disadvantaged and low income parents. As childcare services which in many cases are in receipt of substantial levels of State funding, they are expected to operate on a sound financial footing, balancing their expenditure with income. The support funding enables the services to assist disadvantaged and low income parents and is not provided in respect of parents outside of these categories. Therefore to be sustainable, services must charge non-qualifying parents the full cost fee which, in almost all cases, will still be substantially less than that payable by their counterparts in non-supported services.

As I have outlined, the CCSS is a clearly defined support scheme for community-based childcare services which are required to operate as sustainable entities, alongside other childcare providers. This approach provides equity as well as efficiency in both the broader childcare sector and amongst community services. For example, a community service operating in an area where there are few qualifying parents, and for which capital funding was provided to ensure childcare provision, will generate the bulk of its operational costs from fee income. At the same time, a community service operating in a highly disadvantaged area would, in the absence of the support scheme, be unable to generate sufficient fee income to maintain its service.

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