Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide a progress report on the new after-school childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17358/13]

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide a progress report on preparations for the roll-out of the new school age childcare scheme, announced in Budget 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17278/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 148 together.

As part of Budget 2013 I, together with my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, was pleased to announce a new School Age Childcare initiative which will be targeted at low-income parents availing of employment opportunities.

The initiative is expected to receive full year funding of €14 million to provide over 6,000 after-school places for children attending primary school in order to support parents to take up employment. Lack of access to affordable, quality childcare is a significant barrier to many low income and disadvantaged families seeking to avail of work opportunities.

This initiative will provide an important support measure to enable parents to avail of job opportunities. This is in line with the Government's overall strategy to support parents of low income families to take up employment and demonstrates how Departments are working together to deliver the Government's agenda on promoting employment and supporting children's development.

The School Age Childcare programme will further augment my Department's programme of childcare supports for low income families. These include the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programmes, both of which provide subsidised childcare for low income parents, including qualifying parents who are on approved VEC and FÁS education and training courses. In 2013, my Department expects to spend over €70 million on the CCS and CETS programmes, supporting over 30,000 childcare places.

Eligibility for the new School Age Childcare programme is a matter for the Department of Social Protection (DSP). Officials from the DSP and my Department are continuing to liaise and are currently considering the operational details of the programme. As is the case with the CETS scheme, the new programme is expected to be open to both community and commercial childcare providers across the State. Preparations are under way for the introduction of a pilot project which is expected to be launched shortly and which will assist both Departments in determining the procedures necessary for the full roll-out of the programme in September 2013. Further information will be made available as the work progresses.