Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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273. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in conjunction with Pobal, to assist in providing additional funding for the re-opening of the Kildysart community crèche, a vital community service (details supplied) in County Clare; if he is aware of the continued concern and distress felt by the local community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5198/16]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the situation described and I understand the difficulty that the closure of a Community Childcare Service poses to a local community. It is important to understand the background to the situation described: My Department implements a number of childcare support programmes including the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes. Pobal works closely with this Department in implementing these programmes and undertakes a compliance process to verify, through on-site visits, that the conditions of the various programmes are being complied with. Pobal also carries out audits at the request of the Department.

Following an audit of the West Clare Early Years (WCEY) Group , Pobal submitted a report to West Clare Early Years (WCEY) in November 2015. This report identified major governance issues and the need for repayment of over-claimed childcare funding. The Board of WCEY accepted the findings of the report and, at a meeting with Pobal on February 10th, agreed to prepare an action plan to resolve the situation. However, the Board of WCEY subsequently took a decision on February 13th to liquidate the company and to close the childcare services under its management with immediate effect. Neither the Department nor Pobal were consulted about the decision to liquidate.

Since that time, Pobal and Clare County Childcare Committee have been working intensively on behalf of my Department to identify sustainable solutions that will restore childcare provision in West Clare. It is essential that replacement services have appropriate governance and management. Pobal, Clare County Childcare Committee and officials in my Department are continuing to do all they can to support and facilitate the re-opening of services including Kildysart Community Crèche in a proper manner, and I am confident that the situation will be resolved as soon as possible.