Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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611. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on allocating €5 million to increase the 5% non-contact time for core staff being built into the proposed new affordable childcare scheme to 10%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42690/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Non-Contact Time payment for administrative and non-face-to-face work with children was first introduced as a measure in Budget 2017.

The purpose of the payment was to contribute towards the costs of the wide range of work carried out by providers, particularly the additional administration involved in changes to the childcare schemes in 2016-17, including the expansion of the ECCE scheme to include three intake points and the More Affordable Childcare measures introduced in September 2017. By the end of 2017 providers will have received a total of approximately €18m to assist with administration and non-contact costs associated with the schemes.

The Independent Review of Costs of Quality Childcare will examine the cost of providing quality childcare, including the cost of non-contact and administrative work. The review should therefore provide a strong evidence base which can inform future decisions in relation to funding levels for programme supports. The proposed affordable childcare scheme (ACS) subsidies and cost model for such programme supports are in development and will be examined further in the light of the findings of the review. As an update on Independent Review of Costs of Quality Childcare, I can report that Consultants have been appointed and the review is set to be completed in 2018.