Written answers
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Department of Health
Child Care Services
8:00 pm
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Question 553: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the decision was made by the Health Service Executive to abolish the position of county child care manager; if she sanctioned this decision; and if she is satisfied with the decision. [35737/11]
Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.
Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 554: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will confirm that funding for the child care employment and training support scheme has stopped; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35881/11]
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. The CETS programme provides free childcare places to qualifying FÁS and Vocational Educational Committees (VECs) trainees and students.
Under the CETS programme, funding is provided by my Department to participating childcare services in return for the provision of free childcare places to qualifying students and trainees. The maximum weekly capitation fee payable under the programme is €170 for a full-time childcare place with reduced amounts for parents availing of part-time or after-school care. The eligibility criteria under which students and trainees qualify under the programme is determined by FÁS and the VECs.
It is not the case, as the Deputy has suggested, that funding under this programme has stopped. Some 2,800 full-time equivalent childcare places are currently provided for under the programme and demand has increased very significantly from earlier this year, with the number of places funded exceeding 3,000 at one stage. The number of places allocated at present is at the limit provided for under the programme, as agreed with the Department of Finance in 2010, and it is not proposed to increase the number of places in the programme at this time.
It is not anticipated that the total number of students on courses will increase over the year, and so it is hoped that where a given number of parents commence short-term courses and require CETS places, they will, in the main, be replacing other parents completing similar courses, and be in a position to avail of CETS places that become available. According to the figures available to my Department, some 15% of CETS places will become available for re-allocation between now and the end of next month, and the local City and County Childcare Committees will assist my Department in matching these places with parents seeking them.
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