Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme was introduced in September last year and is implemented by my Department, on behalf of FÁS and the Vocational Educational Committees (VECs).

The CETS programme replaces the previous child care support programmes implemented by FÁS and the VECs under which qualifying students and trainees were paid a weekly Child care Allowance of up to €63.50 per child as a contribution towards their child care costs. Under the new programme, funding is provided by my Department to participating services in return for the provision of free child care places to qualifying students and trainees. Students and trainees can avail of free child care places for the duration of their course. A capitation fee is paid for each child care place contracted, at a weekly rate of €170 per full-time place, €95 per half day care place and €50 per after-school place. The eligibility criteria under which students and trainees qualify under the programme, continue to be determined by the Department of Education & Skills and FÁS. Some 2,800 full-time equivalent child care places are provided for under the programme.

The CETS programme is confined to centre-based child care services, generally services which are participating in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and/or the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programmes as well as after-school services which cater for primary school children. This is in accordance with the sanction given for the programme and there are no proposals at this stage to extend it to include childminders.