Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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530. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to extend the community childcare subvention scheme to private crèches before September 2016 in areas where there is no community crèche within 3.2 km. of the existing private crèche to ensure universal access to this scheme to all parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1023/16]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Budget 2016 makes provision for additional childcare places under the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme which provides affordable childcare for low income families. Based on current take up and expenditure, it is estimated that the additional €16 million in funding will provide for a further 3,200 full-time equivalent childcare places or about 8,000 children each year.

These new childcare places will be available through community/not-for-profit childcare providers and, for the first time, through private childcare providers. It is envisaged that these places will be targeted at private providers in areas with identified need and where no community/not-for-profit providers are available. My Department will be working closely with the local City and County Childcare Committees and Pobal to identify areas of need.