Written answers

Thursday, 7 November 2013

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Child Care Services Provision

Photo of Eric ByrneEric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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111. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 122 of 23 October 2013, if he will clarify the situation regarding the provision of crèche facilities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47413/13]

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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As the Deputy will appreciate several of the specific issues raised in the details supplied for this question relate to confidential matters between an individual and a crèche and as such it would not be appropriate for me to comment or take any action potentially impinging on the contractual situation.

As set out in the previous reply on this matter, arising from the decision taken to discontinue the Civil Service Childcare Initiative following a Focused Policy Assessment in 2012, there have been detailed negotiations between OPW and the civil service crèche operators. These negotiations were complex, involving three operators, seven buildings, the Chief State Solicitor's Office and the solicitors of the operators. In light of these circumstances, I am satisfied that they were completed in an appropriately timely manner resulting in the continued operation of the crèches under a revised commercial licence. Given that the crèches will be operating under a commercial licence and there is no longer any subsidy provided by the State, the fees charged by the crèche services are strictly a commercial matter for the relevant operators, in respect of which I, as Minister for Public Expenditure, have no role.

In relation to the issue raised concerning the period of notice given to parents, as I set out in my previous reply, since agreement on the interim licence arrangement was reached with the existing operators during the summer of 2013, the Civil Service Childcare Initiative Board and OPW have been active in ensuring that operators inform parents of the new arrangements. My Department has been advised by the operator that in this specific case parents were informed on the 25th June 2013 of the potential for fee changes if the crèche was successful in its negotiations with the OPW. Parents were also advised at that time that the operator would give parents two months' notice of a change to the fees. I also understand that there were further communications to parents on the 5th September 2013 outlining that there would be a fee increase and that parents would be given two months' notice of these increases. The actual notification of the fee increase was issued on the 10th October to the parents advising them of the new fee structure which is proposed to take effect from 1 January, 2014.

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