Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

990. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which decisions will be made regarding childcare access in which there is an excess of demand, for example, if essential healthcare workers will receive priority to access. [8420/20]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

996. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if essential workers will be able to access full-time childcare from 29 June 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8488/20]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1002. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress made and the measures that will be in place for 29 June 2020 to ensure childcare services are available to employees returning to work in cases in which the employer in view of the nature of the business is not in a position to offer additional leave, working from home options or alternative working hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8556/20]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 990, 996 and 1002 together.

On Friday 1 May the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice, available evidence and consultation with ELC and SAC stakeholder representatives.

The Roadmap proposes that the reopening of crèches, childminders and preschools in a phased manner will begin in Phase 3, which is currently scheduled to begin on 29 June. Last Friday, 29 May, I announced which children would be eligible to resume full or part-time childcare services from 29 June. Whilst initially the Government Roadmap had indicated that services would resume only for the children of essential workers, this has now been widened. 

Subject to local capacity, from 29 June services are encouraged to support: 

- children of health and social care workers, other frontline workers, childcare practitioners and parents who need access to childcare in order to return to work;

- vulnerable children sponsored under the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) (for example, children whose families are homeless and Tusla referrals) and children funded through legacy childcare schemes who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage or child welfare issues;

- children with disabilities who previously attended part or full-time early learning and care, including those preparing to start school in September; and

- children previously registered in childcare services on March 12, whose parents continue to need childcare for employment or training purposes and who were assured that they would retain their place through conditions attached to my Department’s Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS).  

In the best interests of the child and parents, children should, as far as possible, be enabled to return to the childcare service they attended Pre-Covid19.  Given the changed model of interaction and the time lapse since the child last attended, it is important that further unfamiliar elements are not introduced to the child at this point.

If local capacity issues emerge, services will be asked to give priority to the children of frontline workers.

Childminders may also resume caring for children in the childminder’s home from 29 June.

Service providers and parents are encouraged to make early contact with each other so that the level of demand and supply for places from 29 June can be known.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

991. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of crèches that will leave or have left the childcare sector in 2020 either due to natural attrition of the impacts of Covid-19. [8421/20]

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

Every year a number of early years services decide to close of their own volition, often for a variety of reasons. In line with the provisions of the Child Care Act 1991 (as amended by Part 12 of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013), early years services that decide to cease operations are required to notify Tusla’s Early Years Inspectorate of their planned closure. All data collected by Tusla relating to reported closures is collated and verified on a rolling quarterly basis.

Both my Department and Tusla are aware of and appreciate the difficulties faced by many early years providers as a result of the on-going Covid-19 public health restrictions and acknowledge the impact of these restrictions on the sector.

Despite this difficult situation, data received by Tusla’s Early Years Inspectorate has shown that there have been relatively few permanent closures of early years services to date as a result of the ongoing restrictions. The number of reported closures for Quarter 1 2020 is seven. Data for Quarter 2 is not yet available.

As a direct response to the COVID-19 closure of ELC and SAC services, I launched the Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS) which is a very significant measure to support the sector. TWSCS operates in conjunction with the Revenue Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS), which was initially introduced on 26 March to operate for 12 weeks, until 18 June.

My Department is currently examining funding options for the childcare sector in relation to the reopening of services.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

992. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of full-time equivalent childcare places for preschool children which will be available in September 2020. [8422/20]

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

Each year Pobal conducts research on behalf of my Department to examine a number of factors related to early learning and care and school age childcare services in Ireland, including the monitoring of capacity.  This is published in an annual Early Years Sector Profile. 

In line with recent trends, and based on the number of places available in previous programme years, my Department estimates that the number of full day places which would have been available in September 2020, if the Covid-19 pandemic had not occurred, would have been 48, 900.

However it must be stressed that this is an estimate, and that operational capacity will be dependant on Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in place in September 2020.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

993. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of full-time childcare places which were available for preschool children in September 2018 and 2019. [8423/20]

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

Each year Pobal conducts research on behalf of my Department to examine a number of factors related to early learning and care and school age childcare services in Ireland, including the monitoring of capacity.  This is published in the annual Early Years Sector Profile. 

Based on the Annual Early Years Service Profile 2018/19 data (collected in May 2019), it can be estimated that in September 2018 there were 46,568 full day places available nationally for pre-school children.

The data for the 2019 annual Early Years Sector Profile will not be available until later this year, but my Department has estimated, based on the 2018/19 sector profile and trends from previous years, that the number of full day places available nationally in September 2019 was 47,732.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

994. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if children will be able to attend crèche multiple days per week in September 2020. [8424/20]

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

The Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business sets out the plan for re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services. This will be underpinned by the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice, available evidence and consultation with ELC and SAC stakeholder representatives and providers themselves. To support this work, I have convened and chair an Advisory Group, that comprises eight organisations representing the ELC and SAC sector, one representing the childminding sector and a trade union representative. Intensive engagement with this Group has been underway for several weeks now.

On 29 May I received Government support for the initial plans for re-opening ELC and SAC services under Phase 3 (29 June). The plan for re-opening is guided by the detailed public health guidance specific to ELC and SAC services received from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and noted by NPHET.

The phased reopening will seek to meet the needs of parents and guardians who are returning to work, and prioritise the needs of vulnerable children who need ELC and SAC on child welfare grounds.

It is intended that from 29 June, ELC and SAC services will be accessible by:

- Children of health and social care workers, other frontline workers,  early ELC and SAC practitioners themselves, and parents who need access to  ELC and SAC in order to return to work. In the first instance, places will be available to families from these categories who previously used the  ELC and SAC services.

- Vulnerable children, including children sponsored under the National Childcare Scheme (for example, children in the protection process and children who are homeless) along with children funded through legacy  ELC and SAC funding schemes who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage or child welfare issues.

- Children with disabilities, including those preparing to start school in September.

- Other children previously registered in  ELC and SAC services on March 12, whose parents continue to need  ELC and SAC and who were assured that they would retain their place through conditions attached to the DCYA Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme.

- Subject to local availability of places, children who did not previously use  early ELC and SAC services and whose parents are now seeking a place.

Detailed planning and costing of proposals is ongoing to provide a sustainable and viable funding model which can be applied for the initial phase of reopening of ELC and SAC service, through to operating at full capacity. Working with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I will revert to Government for a decision when this work is advanced. 

I am very conscious of the importance of ELC and SAC for children’s positive development and in terms of supporting the economy as we move beyond this crisis. The approach to resuming ELC and SAC programmes, including ECCE, will need to be an iterative one. Further consideration will be required on these issues as reopening progresses beyond 29 June and the response by both providers and parents becomes clearer, but it is my hope that children will be able to attend full-time or part-time depending on their family requirements. The situation remains under review and I will revert to the Deputy once further information is available. 

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

995. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when all parents will be able to resume using childminding services in the child’s and childminder’s home. [8425/20]

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

As the Deputy will appreciate, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, decisions on the permitted operation of childcare services must depend on public health guidance. My Department has received clarification from the Department of Health that the current advice on the HSE website remains valid for the present: . This advice specifies that currently childminders may work temporarily in the child’s home, but should not work in their own homes.

On Friday 1 May the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice, available evidence and consultation with ELC and SAC stakeholder representatives.

The Roadmap proposes that the reopening of crèches, childminders and preschools in a phased manner will begin in Phase 3, which is currently scheduled to begin on 29 June. Last Friday, 29 May, I announced that childminders will also be able to resume looking after children in the childminder’s home from 29 June, while complying with HPSC advice.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

997. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a person (details supplied) will be entitled to access full-time childcare for their child from 29 June 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8489/20]

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

On Friday 1 May, the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice, available evidence and consultation with ELC and SAC stakeholder representatives and providers themselves.

The future stages of the Roadmap's re-opening of ELC/SAC services are stated as follows:

Phase 3 (29 June), opening of crèches, childminders and preschools for children of essential workers in a phased manner with social distancing and other requirements applying.

Phase 4 (20 July), opening of crèches, childminders and preschools for children of all other workers on a gradually increasing phased basis and slowly increasing thereafter.

The sector has many questions regarding how the Roadmap will be implemented to enable services to re-open. While the COVID-19 emergency called for overnight action on closures, it is my ambition that the phased re-opening will enable sufficient time and planning to re-open in an orderly, safe and sustainable manner. I would like to reassure providers, practitioners, parents and children that I will be doing my utmost to support the sector in offering as smooth a transition as possible to the phased and restricted re-opening of ELC and SAC services.

My Department is currently working with the sector to answer the many questions that exist. This is complex work and must balance a number of important issues, including those mentioned by the Deputy around capacity. Informed by NPHET and public health guidance, consideration is being given to a range of these issues, including:

- Minimising the public health risk, especially given the difficulty of maintaining social distancing among young children and those caring for them,

- Ensuring the need for any restrictions to be consistent with young children’s well-being and development needs and for ELC and SAC provision at each phase to be child-centred.

- Providing ELC for pre-school children, meeting parental demand for ELC and SAC as the economy reopens, and meeting the commitment to retain places for families who paid for ELC and SAC before COVID-19, all while restricting capacity and thereby reducing adult-child ratios. 

- Ensuring financial sustainability of the sector when capacity restrictions limit income and parents cannot afford to cover any higher costs with higher fees.

Ensuring a sufficient number of qualified ELC and SAC practitioners, given likelihood of reduced adult-child ratios and existing challenges with recruitment and retention.

I am actively engaging with key stakeholders in the sector to make sure that the work on re-opening services is informed by the practical reality across the country. I have established and Chair an Advisory Group that includes representatives chosen by the sector, specifically the Association of Childhood Professionals, Community Forum, Early Childhood Ireland, National Childhood Network, PLÉ and Seas Suas. The group also includes Tusla, Pobal, SIPTU and Childminding Ireland. The first meeting of this Advisory Group took place on 13 May and I held follow up meetings on 15 and 19 May. A schedule of weekly meetings has also been agreed.

The proposals for re-opening which are in development will have due regard to Public Health guidance over the phases of easing of restrictions.  I am conscious that the proposed timelines are subject to further NPHET advice, and decisions from Government.

Identifying essential workers, who will be eligible for childcare as part of this reopening, is part of the wider Government effort to ensure that society and business are re-opened in a carefully managed and safe manner.

If capacity issues emerge in ELC and SAC services  as they reopen, priority for places should be given to the children of essential or frontline workers. I would encourage parents to discuss this directly with their childcare provider or childminder.

There are a number of key decisions to be made across Government that will impact significantly on the ELC and SAC sector, including the future of emergency measures such as the Revenue operated Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection operated Pandemic Unemployment Payment, and other business supports. The proposals for re-opening ELC and SAC services necessarily interact with these schemes and so I will be relying on whole of Government plans, which impact the ELC and SAC sector.

It is my fervent hope that every early education and childcare service  around the country is currently considering how it can be part of helping Ireland get back to work, and how it can support children from June 29th in the very difficult circumstances they have experienced in recent months.  

I will undertake to update the Deputy as soon as the work on re-opening services is at a more advanced stage.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

998. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has raised the possibility of childminders that mind children in their own homes to recommence minding children in the home of the childminder if they care for children from just one household. [8496/20]

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

As the Deputy will appreciate, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, decisions on the permitted operation of childcare services must depend on public health guidance. My Department has received clarification from the Department of Health that the current advice on the HSE website remains valid for the present: www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/protecting-your-child.html. This advice specifies that currently childminders may work in the child’s home, but should not work in their own homes.

On Friday 1 May the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice, available evidence and consultation with ELC and SAC stakeholder representatives.

The Roadmap proposes that the reopening of crèches, childminders and preschools in a phased manner will begin in Phase 3, which is currently scheduled to begin on 29 June. Last Friday, 29 May, I announced that childminders will also be able to resume looking after children in the childminder’s home from 29 June, while complying with HPSC advice.

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

999. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department will be recommending that childcare will be carried out through a pod system; if so, if she will increase the ECCE to cover additionally incurred wages; if childcare providers will be encouraged to rent or buy modular buildings to facilitate such a method of childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8523/20]

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

Expert guidance on the safe reopening of childcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was published by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on Friday, 29 May. The guidance, developed in consultation with my Department, focuses on a “play pod” model which restricts interactions between closed groups of children and adults as an alternative to social distancing, on the basis that social distancing is not possible between young children.

Based on advice provided by the HPSC I do not propose to change the Regulations on either the adult-child ratios or the floor-space requirements for early learning and care or school-age childcare services as such changes are unnecessary where "play pods" are in use.

Services are now being asked to apply the guidance to their setting and determine what capacity they may offer. It is expected that a significant amount of capacity will be available in individual services that reopen in the summer, subject to, for example, their space, room layout and staffing availability.       

The Tusla Early Years Inspectorate recently wrote to service providers to inform them of its intention to recommence Fit for Purpose inspections of services. This will allow new services to be registered and changes in circumstances for existing services to be approved prior to the reopening of services in late June.

My Department has also conducted research to assess the level of demand among parents for childcare services. Preliminary data has revealed that while 27% of parents were availing of centre-based care prior to restrictions, 13% of parents intend to use centre-based care once restrictions are lifted.

In the context of all of the above, there does not appear to be a general need for childcare providers to rent or buy modular buildings to address capacity or space issues. However, my Department will keep the matter under review as we prepare for reopening of services and through the early stages of the reopening. Should capacity issues arise, my Department will look at all options to enable additional capacity.

While childcare services will be permitted to reopen from 29 June, in line with the Government Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, the ECCE pre-school programme will not recommence before the end of August. I am currently prioritising the actions necessary for reopening on 29 June. Once these are advanced, priority will move to the more detailed planning for the resumption of the ECCE programme. 

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

1000. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on whether planning issues will arise from childcare providers having to extend their capacity through portacabins or modular buildings; if her Department has examined planning exemptions that may be necessary to provide swift solution for parents that need childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8524/20]

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

The health, safety and well-being of children is of utmost importance. As such, buildings that are intended for the purpose of Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare must meet all regulatory compliance requirements, including planning requirements. It is important that we do not deviate from these safety measures even during these unprecedented times.  

Expert guidance on the safe reopening of childcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was published by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on Friday, 29 May. The guidance focuses on use of a “play pod” model which restricts interactions between closed groups of children and adults as an alternative to social distancing, on the basis that social distancing is not possible between young children.

Based on advice provided by the HPSC I do not propose to change the Regulations on either the adult-child ratios or the floor-space requirements for early learning and care or school-age childcare services as such changes are unnecessary where "play pods" are in use.  

Services are now being asked to apply the guidance to their setting and determine what capacity they may offer. It is expected that a significant amount of capacity will be available in individual services that reopen in the summer, subject to, for example, their space, room layout and staffing availability.

The Tusla Early Years Inspectorate recently wrote to service providers to inform them of its intention to recommence Fit for Purpose inspections of services. This will allow new services to be registered and changes in circumstances for existing services to be approved prior to the reopening of services in late June.  

My Department has also conducted research to assess the level of demand among parents for childcare services. Preliminary data has revealed that while 27% of parents were availing of centre-based care prior to restrictions, 13% of parents intend to use centre-based care once restrictions are lifted. 

In the context of all of the above, there does not appear to be a need for relaxation of planning laws in relation to childcare facilities to address capacity or space issues at present. However, my Department will keep the matter under review as we prepare for reopening of services and through the early stages of the reopening.