Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

580. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there is an existing subsidy or tax relief for persons that send their children to Educate Together homework clubs; the details of these initiatives and income thresholds; her plans to increase the subsidy or tax relief for persons that currently do not qualify; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50140/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department provides subsidies for after school childcare which can include homework clubs.

Families are eligible for subsidies under the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS), Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) and Training and Employment (TEC) programmes. This childcare funding may be used towards a place in an afterschool setting. The subsidies are paid to childcare providers for eligible families. The rates of subsidy vary according to certain eligibility criteria including social welfare and/or medical card entitlement or participating in a Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection employment programme. Under the measures which were introduced in September the subsidy rates have been increased significantly, in some instances, as much as 50%. 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%.While the childcare funding is not specifically for homework clubs, the childcare place may involve homework supports.

I can confirm that the SCP budget for 124 SCP projects for the school years 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17 was €23.3m per annum. For the school year 2015-16, the total level of spend for SCP projects on Interventions was €7.4m. Homework clubs fall within this element of the SCP budget and feature prominently in the returns. Interventions are split between In-School Interventions, After School Supports and Summer Supports.

I would like to highlight that significant progress has been made regarding the development of the Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS). Once introduced, it will provide childcare supports for children aged from 6 months to 15 years. The ACS will replace the existing targeted childcare programmes with a single, streamlined and more user-friendly scheme and will include “wraparound‟ care for pre-school and school-age children.

The issue of tax relief should be addressed to the Minister of Finance as tax matters do not fall under the remit of my Department.