Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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212. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason the capitation payment to a community child care provider (details supplied) has been significantly reduced; if she will review the funding from her Department to this provider; if she will ensure that all appeals are dealt with in a sympathetic and expeditious fashion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9896/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Childcare Directorate of my Department implements the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme and the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, with assistance from Pobal in relation to issuing CCS payments. The service referred to by the Deputy is participating in both of these programmes.

Community childcare services qualify for funding under the CCS programme on the basis of the level of service they provide and the profile of the parents benefiting from their service. The information provided in the parental declaration forms submitted to my Department is verified by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) and the HSE. This information determines the level of subvention which applies to each individual qualifying parent and consequently the overall level of funding to which a service is entitled. Following verification of the information, participating services are provided with a list of qualifying parents and confirmation of the subvention level applied to each parent. Parents can appeal if they consider that they are entitled to a higher rate of subvention.

In relation to the particular childcare service referred to, I can confirm that the appeal process for this school year has been completed and the service has been informed of the outcome. The capitation payment for this year is based on a total of 45 children for whom parental returns were submitted by the service compared to 58 children for the year 2012/13. This decreased enrolment has resulted in a significant reduction in the funding to which the service is entitled.

The ECCE programme provides for one year's free pre-school attendance for each eligible child before commencing primary school. Funding of €28,750 has been provided to date for this school year to this childcare facility under the ECCE programme and further payment will issue for the remaining terms of the school year. This funding is also based on verified returns submitted by the service for the eligible children enrolled. There is no provision under the CCS or ECCE programmes to provide additional funding over and above that generated by the returns submitted.