Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 498: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the threat to the complementary funding stream to Donegal County Childcare Committee; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this funding is directed towards child protection and upskilling of employees and that cuts to this funding will result in job losses and in childcare providers being unable to upskill their workers, taking into consideration that almost 800 employees are directly affected by this reduction; and if she will ensure that complementary funding stream is retained by the committee. [30375/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The 33 City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) were established in 2001 to advance the provision of childcare facilities in their local areas. They comprise local representatives from the statutory, community and voluntary sectors, social partners, childcare providers and parents.

The role of the CCCs was expanded under the National Childcare Investment Programme to enable greater flexibility and responsiveness to local needs, and they had a key role in the development of local childcare infrastructure, quality standards, training and information. More recently, CCCs have been increasingly dedicated to locally managing administrative processes associated with the national childcare programmes (the Community Childcare Subvention programme, the Early Childhood Care and Education programme and the Childcare Education and Training Support programme). They also support the performance and sustainability of services in their respective areas.

Each CCC receives funding from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to implement its Local Implementation Plan. In 2012, the total amount allocated to the CCCs is €11.3m, with Donegal County Childcare Committee receiving an allocation of €370,000.

In relation to funding provided nationally by the HSE to support City and County Childcare Committees, the HSE has advised that there has been no decision to withdraw this funding. However, I understand that at a local level funding has been reduced or has ceased in some areas due to the implementation of cost containment measures. The HSE has advised that it allocates funding on a prioritisation basis which takes cognisance of the best interests of the child as paramount to any decision.

The HSE has confirmed that funding totalling €87,678 was provided to Donegal County Childcare Committee in 2011 and €83,631 was provided in 2012. The HSE is currently reviewing funding for 2013 with Donegal County Childcare Committee.