Written answers

Thursday, 3 November 2011

Department of Health

Departmental Funding

3:00 pm

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 18: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the voluntary organisations to which she will provide funding over the next 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32502/11]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs currently provides funding directly to a wide range of voluntary organisations engaged in the provision of services to children and young people. The most significant share of the funding is targeted at implementing three major child care programmes that include the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, and the Community Education and Training CETS) programme.

Under the CCS programme, funding is provided to community/not-for-profit child care facilities to enable them to charge reduced child care fees to eligible parents. Under the programme, funding is paid directly to the service, based on weekly subvention rates of either €50 or €100 per full-time place, depending on the eligibility of the parent. The programme is targeted towards disadvantaged and low-income working parents. There are almost 1,000 community child care providers participating in the CCS programme, which is expected to cost in the region of €43 million in 2011.

The ECCE programme is open to both community-based and private child care providers, and provides an annual programme of early learning to children before they start primary school. Under the programme, capitation fees of €2,450 per annum are paid directly to the service in respect of each eligible child enrolled in the service. A higher rate of capitation (€2,850 per annum) is payable to sessional playschool services with highly qualified staff. Approximately 4,500 child care providers are participating in the programme, which is expected to cost in the region of €166 million in 2011.

The CETS programme, introduced in September 2010, replaced previous child care support schemes implemented by FÁS and the VECs under which students and trainees were directly allocated child care payments to support the costs of their child care. Under the CETS programme, participating child care services are paid a weekly capitation fee (€170 per full-time place) in respect of each CETS child care place contracted with their service. In return, the service is required to provide a child care place, free of charge, to the qualifying student or trainee. 800 community and commercial child care services participated in the programme in the September 2010/August 2011 year, and more than 1,400 are expected to participate from September 2011. The CETS programme is expected to cost in the region of €21 million in 2011.

My Department also provides funds to support voluntary organisations through a number of other programmes that include the following -

- Funding for the support of voluntary youth work is made available on an annual basis to 31 national and major regional voluntary youth organisations through the Youth Service Grant Scheme which is intended to ensure the emergence, promotion, growth and development of youth organisations with distinctive philosophies and programmes aimed at the social education of young people. Just over €11 million has been made available this year to support the organisations.

- Support for three organisations - Barnardos, the National Children's Nurseries Association and the Irish Pre-School Play Association who act in the role of authorised signatory in accordance with the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No. 2) Regulations for the vetting of child care providers. e Department of Children and Youth Affairs has facilitated these organisations in this regard through the provision of funding, which amounts to €232,000 in 2011, to cover the cost of providing this service. The agreement in place with Barnardos was expanded to provide access to vetting for a range of other child care services such as after-school clubs, creches and staff of county child care committees.

- As part of the commitment to ensure that seldom-heard children and young people are included in participation structures and projects, funding of €120,000 is provided this year to the National Youth Council of Ireland to provide a service to support the delivery of Dáil na nÓg and Dáil na nÓg Council. In addition to this, funding of €105,000 is being allocated to Foroige and €70,000 to Youth Work Ireland for the provision of services by Participation Officers to support the operation of Comhairle na nÓg and other children and young people's initiatives.

- Grants are also made available to individuals, groups and organisations involved in the provision of services to children and young people through the provision of €500,000 from the National Lottery Funding Scheme. Organisations who have been awarded funds of €334,000 from this scheme earlier in the year include Castlefinn Youth Club, ARC Adoption Limited, Erris "No Name" Club and La Go Bhri Community Childcare Services.

The Deputy might note that the allocation of resources in 2012 from the various funding schemes administered by my Department will be considered in the context of the finalisation of the 2012 estimates process.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.