Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 562: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the conclusions of her review into the community employment training scheme child care provision; the total budget available for the 2011/12 training year; the number of child care placements available for existing trainees for 2011/12; the number of child care placements for new students for 2011/12; the number of students who have applied for and secured training places for 2011/12 but who will not be awarded child care placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36103/11]

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 eligibility criteria under which students and trainees qualify under the programme is determined by FÁS and the VECs.

The CETS programme is funded on an annual basis and in the region of €23 million is allocated for 2011. This funding currently provides for some 2,800 full-time equivalent childcare places. This is the total provision under the programme and the places are allocated, when available, to students or trainees who are deemed to qualify by FÁS and the VECs. 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.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 563: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 10 will be awarded child care provision under the community employment training scheme for 2011/12. [36104/11]

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 eligibility criteria under which students and trainees qualify under the programme is determined by FÁS and the VECs.

In relation to the person referred to by the Deputy, I understand that funding has been provided by my Department, under the CETS programme, to enable her to avail of free childcare for the duration of the FÁS course in which she is currently participating, and that the local County Childcare Committee has been informed of this outcome.