Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1302. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department supports the introduction of out-of-hours care service provision in primary schools; if her Department is aware of the number of primary schools under its remit currently providing out-of-hours care services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31584/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department does not have a remit in relation to the establishment of after-school childcare services. In general the day to day management of school buildings is carried out at local level and school authorities have a considerable degree of autonomy in relation to how their premises are managed and utilised. It should also be noted that the vast majority of primary school buildings in the country are in private ownership.

- The After-School Childcare (ASCC) Programme, which provides after-school childcare for primary school children of eligible parents for a period of 52 weeks. This Programme contributes €40 per week for an after-school place or €80 per week in situations where the childcare service provides a pick-up service that collects the child from school. The Programme also provides a full day care rate of €105 per week, for a maximum of 10 weeks, to cater for school holiday periods. In all cases, the maximum fee payable by parents is €15 per week per child. Eligibility for this Programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection.

- The Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme, which is targeted specifically at participants in the Community Employment (CE) schemes operated by the Department of Social Protection. Under this programme, €80 per week is provided for pre-school places for children up to the age of 5 and €40 per week for after-school places for primary school children up to the age of 13, with a set charge of €15 per week to the parent in either case. The programme also provides a part time day care rate of €80 per week, for a maximum of 10 weeks, to cater for school holiday periods. Places are approved for 50 weeks. Eligibility for the CEC programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection.

- The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme, which provides childcare places, including part-time and after-school places, to qualifying Solas or Education and Training Boards (ETB) trainees or students for the duration of their courses. Eligibility for the CETS programme is determined by the Department of Education and Skills.

- The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which provides funding to community childcare services to enable them to provide quality childcare, including after-school care, at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income working parents.

The recent Report of the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education sets out a range of options for future investment to enhance affordability, increase the accessibility and improve the quality of after-school childcare, including the development of quality standards for after-school childcare, consultation with children on after-school childcare, a subvention system to amalgamate existing funding programmes and a capital fund to support the development of after-school childcare on school premises. The options in the Report of the Inter-Departmental Group are currently being considered as part of the Estimates Process for 2016.