Written answers

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

City and County Child Care Committees

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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624. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the policy on the configuration of county child care boards; if there is a requirement, in terms of governance, regarding who sits on a board; and if a board should include a community service representative and a private service representative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11283/16]

Photo of Katherine ZapponeKatherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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33 City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) were established in 2001 to advance the provision of childcare facilities in their local areas. They comprise local representatives from the statutory, community and voluntary sectors, childcare providers and parents. There are now 31 CCCs, as Limerick City and Limerick County CCs have amalgamated, as have Waterford City and Waterford County CCs. Each Committee has a distinct legal identity. CCCs receive funding from my Department for the operations of the Committee, allowing each one to employ staff and implement actions contained in its strategic plan, mandated by my Department to reflect national policy objectives.

The Boards of CCCs are legally autonomous and I have no role in appointing Board members. The Department, as the sponsor and primary funder of the CCCs attaches accountabilities related to standards of governance, performance, accounting and reporting to its funding; as do other associated funding or oversight organisations. Pobal acts as managing agent on behalf of the Department in relation to performance of individual CCCs. Towards this Pobal formats, appraises and monitors the local planning and implementation of activity and outcomes associated with my Department's funding; contracts, administers and verifies the funding and its use, and supports CCCs individually and collectively as Boards and as organisations to perform and develop in their function.

My Department has issued a Governance Framework for CCCs, most recently updated in 2013. This framework indicates that Board membership should, as far as possible, represent appropriate agencies, service providers, both private and community, and parents. Boards, through their membership, are required to represent and ensure appropriate expertise, representation and knowledge of early childhood care and education, as well as strong governance. Boards are also requested to ensure that their memberships are of a size and composition that supports effective governance, operation and continuity.

Guidance from my Department also indicates that membership should be determined by the contribution or influence an agency/organisation/individual can have on the planning, development, resourcing or alignment of services within the county/city. In the absence of direct representation of a key agency, constituency or attribute, liaison arrangements should be put in place to ensure that there are opportunities to source requisite knowledge, expertise or information in order to ensure timely access as may be required.

My Department is available to provide support to the Boards towards securing appropriate representation and calibre of membership.

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