Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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412. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs given the commitment to improve the standard and availability of child care facilities, the provisions and supports that are available to child care facilities which are proving to be financially unviable and at risk of imminent closure in areas where there are no alternative child care facilities. [29867/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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In the region of €260 million is provided annually by my Department through community and commercial childcare services to support a number of childcare programmes which assist parents in accessing quality and affordable childcare. In the region of 4,300 childcare services are participating in these programmes.

The childcare programmes include the free pre-school year provided under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which provides funding to community childcare services to support disadvantaged or low income families, and a number of programmes that support parents returning to work or availing of education or training opportunities. These programmes include the Childcare Education and Training Supports (CETS) programme providing support to parents availing of training and education courses provided by Solas or the Education Training Board (ETB), the After-School Child Care (ASCC) programme and a Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme supporting qualifying parents who are participating in Community Employment (CE) schemes.

The funding to support these childcare programmes has been maintained despite the difficult budgetary position that has prevailed in recent years.

I recognise the difficulties being faced by childcare providers and parents and I am aware of their concerns in relation to the sustainability of services. I acknowledge that increased capitation and subvention payments through the support programmes would assist childcare services in addressing some of their cost issues. I have indicated that, if resources become available to my Department, I will consider the scope for increasing the level of these capitation payments.

However, I am looking at the question of appropriate supports for child care in a wider context. It is crucial that we develop a coherent whole-of-Government approach to investment in childcare services. To ensure that all the benefits of current (and future) investment are fully realised, it must be evidence-based and strategically coordinated. Accordingly, I have established an Inter-Departmental Group to develop a coherent whole-of-Government approach to investment in childcare. The Group is expected to submit its final report to Government shortly.