Written answers

Thursday, 2 February 2017

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Early Childhood Care and Education

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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363. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the current exemption from commercial rates which a child care service that offers only the early childhood care and education scheme can apply for on the basis of the Valuation Office's interpretation of paragraph 10 of schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001 will be nullified, whereby the child care service provides wraparound care as proposed under the single affordable childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4957/17]

Photo of Katherine ZapponeKatherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Under Paragraph 10 Schedule 4 Valuation Acts 2001- 2015 services who provide the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme are exempt from commercial rates on the basis that the facility is used exclusively for the provision of educational services only.

The Single Affordable Childcare Scheme will not replace the ECCE programme, but rather the current targeted programmes administered by my Department. The new Affordable Childcare Scheme is intended to provide ‘wraparound’ care for pre-school and school-age children. For the first time, it will therefore be possible for a child in the ECCE programme also to benefit from a subsidy for additional childcare use. The scheme will be open to all childcare providers who are registered with Tusla initially, including both centre-based childcare providers (e.g. crèches, preschools and daycare centres) and child-minders. Should an ECCE only service choose to enter into contract for the Single Affordable Scheme they would no longer be classed as a facility that is used exclusively for the provision of educational services only, as the Single Affordable Scheme is not an educational programme, and would therefore be subject to commercial rates.

However, my officials will be arranging to meet with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to discuss the issue of commercial rates for early years services shortly.

Photo of Shane CassellsShane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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364. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a record is maintained and monitored of the number of participants on community employment child care schemes that are retained in the early year’s sector; if her Department engages regularly with the Department of Social Protection on community employment child care schemes; if so, the details of this engagement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4992/17]

Photo of Katherine ZapponeKatherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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My Department holds a record of, and monitors, the number of children who avail of the Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme, which is one of the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes. This programme is targeted at Community Employment (CE) participants who require childcare in order to begin or continue on a CE scheme. Eligibility for the CEC programme is determined by a letter from the community employment sponsor.

My Department does not keep a record of the number of adults participating on Community Employment (CE) Schemes. The CE Scheme is administered by the Department of Social Protection who would therefore be responsible for maintaining records of participants on CE Schemes.

The CEC programmes is to be replaced by the Single Affordable Scheme, as announced in Budget 2017. My Department has liaised with the Department of Social Protection in the context of progressing the Single Affordable Scheme.

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