Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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761. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is considering measures to increase the availability of childcare for school aged children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13081/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Government Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business allows for the phased reopening of both Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare services from 29 June. 

My Department continues to invest significant resources in the childcare sector generally. Over the last five Budgets investment in childcare has increased by 141%, which reflects the emphasis being placed on improving access to affordable, high quality services. A significant funding package is now available to support services, including school-age services, with reopening following Covid-19-related closures. The funding is expected to support the retention of capacity in the sector.

Under the National Childcare Scheme which opened for online applications on 20th November 2019, school-age childcare services who are registered with Tusla are able to avail of subsidies under the new scheme. The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018 came into force on 18th February, 2019, enabling school-age childcare services to register with Tusla and participate in the National Childcare Scheme. 

The number of early learning and care and school-age childcare places in Ireland has doubled over the last 5 years, assisted by an annual programme of capital grants. In 2019, grants of up to €20,000 were available to school age childcare providers for the creation of new school age places where demand for these was clearly evidenced. In 2020 school-age services are able to avail of capital and reopening grants to support their reopening.

My Department also works in collaboration with the Department of Education and Skills to support access to school-age childcare places in the context of the inter-departmental Action Plan on School-Age Childcare. The Department of Education and Skills has published guidelines to assist school authorities on how their premises might be utilised for school-age childcare and other activities where it can be facilitated by the school patron/trustees.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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763. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to reopen childcare services which operate in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13160/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Guided by public health advice from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services can resume from 29 June. On 10 June 2020, a €75m funding package was announced to facilitate the reopening of ELC and SAC services over the summer months. This substantial investment recognises the important role that the ELC and SAC sector plays in the societal and economic infrastructure of the country.

In relation specifically to the reopening of childcare services that operate on school premises, officials in my Department have been in contact with colleagues in the Department of Education and Skills.  

The Department of Education and Skills have advised that the use of school facilities lies with the relevant school authority in consultation with the property owner, and that priority should be given to the interests of the school, teachers and pupils. 

The Department of Education and Skills’ policy is to encourage the use of school facilities, where possible, for community, training and education-related activities. It encourages schools to facilitate requests wherever possible but on the basis that it would not impede capacity to cater for any proposed Department of Education and Skills’ summer programmes for students with special needs or from a disadvantaged background. The Department of Education and Skills advises that summer programmes should be given first priority for use of school facilities. 

To assist schools in considering applications for use of their facilities, the Department of Education and Skills in consultation with representatives of schools has drafted guidelines on the use of school property outside of school hours which is available here 

These guidelines are not intended to be exhaustive or prescriptive but are provided to assist schools in considering applications for the use of their facilities.  

The use of school facilities should be managed at local level between the childcare service provider and the school.