Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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963. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to outline her views on the recent publication by the European Commission Directorate-General for Justice on child care services for school-age children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13581/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Report referred to by the Deputy is presently being considered by officials in my Department.

This Report highlights the diversity of after-school services that prevail across European countries and emphasises the considerable work that needs to be done in this area, particularly in balancing supply with demand and ensuring that the quality of services is regulated.

A number of initiatives have been introduced in this country in recent years to support parents with the cost of after-school care. The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme provides funding to community childcare services to enable them to charge reduced rates to qualifying low income and disadvantaged families who need to access after-school services. A new School Age Childcare programme was recently introduced and makes available 600 after-school places which targets social welfare recipients availing of employment opportunities.

The provision of quality after-school services is a priority for my Department and I recently brought forward legislative changes to the Child Care Act that will allow for the introduction of new after-school regulations. These regulations are currently being drafted and I expect that the final draft will provide a legislative framework to support the delivery of a more co-ordinated and quality after school service in this country.