Written answers

Thursday, 2 June 2016

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Child Care Services Provision

Photo of Thomas ByrneThomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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305. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is aware that a childcare facility (details supplied) in Drumconrath, County Meath is to close; her views on this; and her proposals to ensure there is sufficient provision for childcare in this area. [14134/16]

Photo of Katherine ZapponeKatherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I am aware of a childcare facility in Drumconrath and I understand that this service sought permission to expand their premises to cater for an increased number of children, but that this planning application was refused. Meath County Childcare Committee are in regular contact with my Department regarding this and other services in the Meath area and I understand that this service has not indicated that it will close. I am optimistic that the service can maintain its existing level of provision and may submit an appeal to An Bord Pleanála. On foot of consultation with my Department, a circular recently issued to all local authorities seeking to ensure that planning applications in relation to childcare facilities are dealt with expeditiously.

My Department funds 30 City and County Childcare Committees (CCC) around the country. The CCC staff support parents to access appropriate childcare and they also support providers to deliver and develop their service. Pobal also assists my Department and the CCCs to identify any issues with supply and demand.

In Budget 2016, my Department announced a significant expansion to pre-school provision under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. This expansion will see the number of children benefitting from the Programme rise from around 67,000 to around 127,000 in a given programme year. In response to this expansion of ECCE, and to support the development of capacity in the sector, my Department has initiated a number of actions. The Department made detailed information available to the CCCs at the beginning of this year indicating the number of children, by every electoral division across the country, who would be eligible for an ECCE place in September 2016, January 2017 and April 2017. My Department continues to work closely with the CCCs to match this data against reported capacity in the sector to meet the increase in demand. My Department is working with them on the development of action plans for areas where a shortfall in supply has been identified.

Beyond the ECCE programme, my Department has taken measures to ensure greater access to the Community Childcare Subsidy (CCS) for eligible families. Whilst traditionally this subvention was only available through Community (Not for Profit) Childcare facilities, it has now been extended so that private childcare facilities can access it and pass the subvention onto eligible families.

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