Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 149 of 12 May 2010 if she will request the Health Service Executive to amend the funding in this project; the steps she will take steps to ensure that the four nurseries in an area (details supplied) are placed on a reliable and adequate funding footing to ensure they can continue with the critical child-care service which they provide [38253/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the four child care services referred to by the Deputy have been in receipt of support funding from the Health Service Executive (HSE) for a number of years, to assist them to provide affordable child care and early intervention services to disadvantaged parents and their children including catering for a significant number of child referrals from the HSE and community welfare officers. In 2010, I understand that this will exceed €1 million.

In recent years, a number of major child care investment programmes which fund preschool services, in particular community services such as the four referred to, have been implemented by my Office. These include the free Preschool Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which was introduced in January 2010 and the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme which was first introduced in January 2008 and amended and improved in September 2010.

In most cases, these schemes now provide the principle source of support funding for preschool services including community child care services catering for disadvantaged and low income parents. However, my understanding is that services which meet particular social needs, such as those referred to by the Deputy, will continue to be considered for additional annual funding from the HSE. An official from my Office recently attended a meeting arranged by the HSE with representatives of the services to discuss their future funding and to clarify the position.

Only one of the services referred to is currently participating in the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) scheme but I believe all four are expected to participate in the scheme from January 2011. With regard to the service participating in the CCS, as it has not yet made a service return to my Office for September 2010/August 2011, I am unable to confirm the amount of CCS funding it will receive. However, I understand it received a payment of €26,563 for the period January to August 2010. All four of the services applied for and entered the ECCE scheme with effect from January 2010. For the September 2010 to August 2011 preschool year they have received preliminary ECCE payments totalling €82,488 and balancing payments for the first term will issue shortly.