Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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256. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the vocational training a person must undertake in to qualify for the child care employment and training support scheme, in particular the reasons a person completing a Tús placement cannot avail of the scheme while a person doing a community employment scheme can avail of the subsidised child care; the reason for the disparity in qualifying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25027/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Childcare Education and Training support (CETS) programme, which is one of a number of childcare support programmes implemented by my Department, provides funding to support parents who are participating in Solas and the Education Training Boards training and education courses with the cost of childcare. Eligibility for this strand is determined by the Department of Education and Skills.

I would like also to advise the Deputy that further strands of childcare support under the CETS programme have been introduced including an after-school programme which provides support to social welfare recipients returning to employment and a strand which provides support to parents participating in Community Employment schemes. Eligibility for these strands are determined by the Department of Social Protection.

The function of my Department is to monitor the take-up of childcare places available to those parents approved for support and to administer the relevant funding. Determining which courses will enable parents to qualify for support under the CETS programme is therefore a matter for the Departments of Social Protection and the Department of Education and Skills.