Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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53. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which parents will be able to access the subsidies offered under the affordable childcare scheme in September 2017 in view of the fact that there is no onus on childcare providers to offer the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31177/17]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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55. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which she envisages the affordable childcare scheme being rolled out in September 2017; the guarantees there are that childcare providers will take up the scheme in order to ensure access to it to all parents that are eligible for subsidies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31176/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 55 together.

On 11 April, I made an announcement that the Affordable Childcare Scheme would not commence this September but that a range of measures will be introduced by my Department to make childcare more affordable for thousands of families throughout Ireland. This honours a key commitment in the Programme for Government. I can confirm that these measures, which will benefit the families of tens of thousands of children, will commence this September.

These measures are being put in place to ensure that parents of up to 70,000 children due to benefit under the Affordable Childcare Scheme will be given the opportunity to avail of increased childcare subsidies from September. This will be achieved by significantly increasing the subsidy rates for the Community Childcare Subvention and the Training and Employment Childcare Schemes, in some instance by as much as 50%. There will also be a new universal, non-means tested childcare subsidy that will benefit parents with children aged between 6 months and 36 months.

These measures mean that the families of up to 70,000 children can look forward to benefitting from increased childcare subsidies starting from this September.

Following on from a coordinated online and postal information campaign targeting both childcare providers and parents with key information about the measures, my Department along with Pobal and the City/County Childcare Committees are currently hosting public information “roadshows” to build awareness and encourage providers to sign up the September measures.

In addition, I have recently announced a payment for non-contact time to services who sign up to the September measures. The payment to providers is intended to make a contribution towards the administration and non-contact costs involved in providing my Department’s childcare programmes. In particular, the new funding recognises the time providers need to spend familiarising themselves with the new affordable childcare measures, signing contracts, meeting regulatory and compliance requirements and assisting parents with understanding how they can most benefit from the various childcare programmes available.

The measure provides for a payment equivalent to an additional seven days’ funding for services. €3.5m has been allocated for this purpose.

I am very aware that delivering these enhanced childcare supports is only possible because of the commitment and co-operation of more than 4,000 childcare providers throughout the country. I want to acknowledge their continuing support and, in recognition of their invaluable contribution, I will be asking for extra funding during Budget 2018 negotiations so we can address some of the issues raised by childcare providers.