Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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156. To ask the Minister for Social Protection to set out the number of child care places provided and how this has varied in each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date, under community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16498/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Social Protection introduced a new community employment (CE) childcare strand at the beginning of 2013 under which there is a dedicated educational programme at Level 5 for CE participants who work directly with children. The Major 5 Award is the entry level requirement to work as a practitioner in childcare. This programme will improve the career path for participants who wish to pursue a career in childcare and also provides valuable support to the provision of community childcare.

From the 25 February 2016 the entry age for CE participants working directly with service users in the childcare sector has been reduced to 21 years. This is designed to meet the needs of a broader range of CE applicants, including lone parents and those on transition payments.

The take-up of childcare places on community employment programmes in the period 2011 to 2016 is detailed in the following table:

Take up of childcare places on community employment