Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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290. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount allocated in 2013, 2014 and 2015 for the child care employment and training supports scheme; the amount spent in 2013, and projected outturn for 2014; the number of parents supported and children cared for in 2013 and 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47035/14]

Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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291. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount allocated in 2013, 2014 and 2015 for the community employment childcare programme; the amount spent in 2013; the projected outturn for 2014; the number of parents supported and children cared for in 2013 and 2014, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47036/14]

Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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292. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount allocated in 2013, 2014 and 2015 for the after-school child care scheme; the amount spent in 2013; the projected outturn for 2014; the number of parents supported and children cared for in 2013 and 2014 respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47037/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 290 to 292, inclusive, together.

My Department implements the three Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes - the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme, the Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme and the Afterschool Childcare (ASCC) programme - which provide childcare supports to eligible parents returning to work or to education.

Funding of €16 million was allocated in 2013 under the CETS programme and all of this amount was spent in providing childcare support to Solas and Education Training Board students and trainees who were approved for childcare funding support. The allocation in 2014 was increased to €17 million and it is expected that all of this funding will be used this year. This funding provides for 2,500 full time equivalent places which supports in the region of 4,500 children each year.

The CEC programme was introduced this year to support parents availing of Community Employment (CE) work opportunities. Funding of €7 million was allocated and it is expected that the final spend will be in the region of €2 million. The funding allocation is sufficient to provide for at least 1,200 part-time child care places and 800 after-school child care places. The uptake of the programme steadily increased throughout the year and there are now in the region of 950 childcare places being supported.

The ASCC programme was introduced in 2013 to support parents returning to the workforce who were deemed qualified for support by the Department of Social Protection. Funding totalling €11.5 million was made available in 2013 but only a small number of parents availed of the programme and the spend was in the region of €18,000. The funding allocation this year has been reduced to €2.5 million with the uptake again lower than expected with a spend of €0.26 million. The uptake of the programme did increase as the year progressed and there are now approximately 235 children availing of after-school places.

Details of the funding provision in relation to the childcare support programmes in 2015 will be confirmed in the revised estimates for the Public Services which will be published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on Wednesday 17 December 2014.