Written answers

Tuesday, 4 November 2014

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Child Care Services Expenditure

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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569. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps that have been taken to ensure that crèche facilities are paid only for children who avail of the crèche's services and are not solely based on the numbers of children registered with the facility; the number and location of all crèche facilities obliged to repay funding received following an audit of payments under the subvention scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41824/14]

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Children and Youth Affairs implements a number of childcare support programmes including the Free Pre-School year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes.

In relation to the ECCE programme, only children who satisfy the age criteria are entitled to avail of the free pre-school year under the programme. The age of each child is verified by reference to the child's PPS number. Capitation payments are provided only for the children that are deemed eligible to avail of the provision.

Eligibility for childcare supports under the TEC programmes, which were introduced to support employment activation measures, is determined by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) or by Solas or the Education Training Board (ETB). The childcare places are provided by this Department to the children of parents who provide to the City and County and Childcare Committee the appropriate letter of approval.

The CCS programme provides subvention support to parents on low incomes and parents in receipt of certain social welfare payments, whose children are enrolled in community childcare facilities. Parents in receipt of Family Income Support or who hold a medical or GP visit card can also qualify for support. Participating community childcare services submit parental returns in respect of each qualifying parent and these details are verified by reference to the PPS numbers by the DSP and also by the Health Service Executive where parents are relying on their eligibility for a medical of GP visit card to determine the level of support to which they are entitled. There is provision under the programme for an appeal process where parents consider that they are entitled to avail of childcare support.

Pobal, on behalf of this Department undertake a compliance process to verify, through on-site visits, that the conditions of the various programmes are being complied with.

I understand that there are two instances under the CCS programme where recovery has been pursued. These relate to services in counties Galway and Kilkenny, where repayment plans have been agreed with Pobal and a substantial part of the over-payments has already been recovered.

My Department and Pobal are in the process of implementing a new management platform for the early years programmes – called the Early Years Programmes Implementation Platform (PIP). This new development which will provide a more comprehensive, integrated set of management processes, more efficient work practices, greater visibility and control of funds and commitments, will substantially improve the capacity of the Department and services on the ground to dynamically manage service by service and case by case approvals and changes in each of the programmes.

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