Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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991. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to establish childcare Ireland; when he expects to have the agency established in order to provide greater support to the childcare sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19744/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government includes a commitment to establish a dedicated agency, Childcare Ireland. The Government envisages that Childcare Ireland will assist in expanding high quality childcare, best practice and innovation in community and private childcare settings.

In 'First Five, the Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families', published in November 2018, my Department committed to a review of the operating model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) in this country.

Currently, childcare schemes and initiatives funded by my Department are administered by Pobal, 30 City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs), and 7 National Voluntary Childcare Organisations (NVCOs). These bodies carry out a range of administrative, operational, communications, and quality improvement and training functions in relation to ELC and SAC services. While the structures in place have served the country well, the time is now right to review them and future proof them. 

The ultimate objective of the review is to ensure the operating system is equipped to implement the policy of my Department to the standards required. It is hoped that the final system will support the delivery of high quality, accessible and affordable ELC and SAC services to children and families through the efficient and effective administration of a number of programmes, schemes, quality initiatives, and other functions such a compliance and communications. The review will improve transparency, accountability, value for money to the Exchequer, cross agency working and governance.  

Earlier this week I brought a Memorandum to Cabinet to advise that I will shortly establish an Interdepartmental Working Group (IDG) to commence work on the review. The IDG, with the assistance of an external contractor, will objectively examine the current model, structure and systems and will recommend improvements based on principles of best practice  

The IDG will engage with all relevant stakeholders during the process and it will report back to me next year. I will then bring forward proposals to Cabinet about a reformed operating model.

It is envisaged that the data gathering and analysis carried out through the review will ultimately provide a robust evidence base to inform a decision by Government concerning the establishment of Childcare Ireland.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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992. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to his statement to provide financial supports for parents who opt to look after their children themselves, if he will provide further details on the proposals; if this will be pursued through the national childcare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19745/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Government is committed to supporting parents in caring for young children at home in a range of ways. 

Within my Department, a policy priority is to provide access to high quality and affordable Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC), whether parents work or are in education full time or part time, or look after their children at home full-time. These policies seek to support children’s optimal development, to support families, and to ensure that families can choose options to best suit their needs and preferences. 

All children are eligible to avail of two years of universal pre-school provided under the ECCE Programme, without cost. More than 100,000 children participate in this Programme annually, many of whom are children of stay-at-home parent(s). 

Under the National Childcare Scheme, a universal subsidy is available to all parents of children from six months until their child becomes eligible for universal pre-school, regardless of whether parents are working outside the home or not. Income assessed subsidies are also available to parents, including stay-at-home parents.  The Programme for Government commits to  continued investment in this Scheme, reducing costs for parents and introducing greater parental choice and flexibility

My Department also provides funding for parent and toddler groups to organise activities for parents and children in the community to support their development through play. Both working parents and stay-at-home parents participate.  There were 414 such groups supported in 2019. 

A new model of parenting services is also being developed covering key stages of child development and taking account of parents and children in a range of contexts and parenting relationships. 

More widely across Government, there are various initiatives that support stay-at-home parents. A child benefit payment of €140 per child per month is available for all children.  When one spouse or civil partner works in the home caring for one or more dependent people (a child for whom Child Benefit is payable is considered a dependent), then a home carer tax credit can be claimed. Budget 2020  increased the home carer tax credit to €1,600 per year.  The Programme for Government has committed to further increases. 

There have also been a number of new measures to support parents to spend time at home with children in their early years. Two weeks of paternity leave and benefit for fathers was introduced in 2016. In 2017, there was an extension to maternity leave and benefit to mothers of babies born prematurely.  2019 saw the introduction of a new paid parental leave scheme available to both fathers and mothers. The Parent’s leave aims to let working parents spend more time with their baby or adopted child during the first year. In November 2019, an individual entitlement to two weeks of paid parental leave per parent (up to a potential four weeks in total per child) was introduced. The Programme for Government commits to further extensions to this individual entitlement.

There has also been an extension since September 2019 of unpaid parental leave from 18 to 22 weeks under the Parental Leave Amendment (Act) 2019.  A further 4-week extension from September 2020 will bring the amount of unpaid parental leave to 26 weeks. Also the age of children for which it can be applied has increased from 8 to 12 years.  

First 5, a Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families, published in November 2018, includes over 150 actions covering a broad a range of measures to support families given their fundamental importance in shaping children’s experiences and outcomes. The First 5 Implementation Plan, published in May 2019, sets out how these actions will be progressed in the coming three years. There are major commitments on children’s health services, parenting supports, child-friendly communities and Early Learning and Care among a broad range of actions. The actions are designed to contribute to positive experiences and outcomes for children in all family types with parents with different types of working arrangements. The Programme for Government is committed to full implementation of this Strategy. 

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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993. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to reform the childcare system to create one that brings together the best of community and private childcare provision; if terms of reference have been drawn up; if stakeholders will be included; the time frame for establishing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19746/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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State investment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) has increased by an unprecedented 141% over the past 5 budgets (from €260m to €638m). This has enabled, inter alia, a doubling of the ECCE programme to two years, a doubling of the number of children availing of State subsidies, a 60% increase in ELC and SAC places and greater access to ELC and SAC for children with additional needs. 

The Programme for Government acknowledges that more needs to be done to tackle the challenges of accessibility, affordability and quality of ELC and SAC and more investment is needed.

First 5, the whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families pledges to at least double State investment in ELC and SAC by 2028. A key vehicle to ensure that such significant additional investment delivers for children, families and the State will be a new funding model .

An Expert Group to develop the new funding model has been convened. This Group is composed of renowned academics, top level economists and experienced policy makers from Ireland and elsewhere – all of whom have an enormous breadth of knowledge and experience. The Expert Group’s Terms of Reference are as follows:

- Agree a set of guiding principles to underpin the new Funding Model for Early Learning and Care and School Age

- Review the existing approach to funding Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare services by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in terms of its alignment with the guiding principles as well as effectiveness in delivering on the policy objectives of quality, affordability, accessibility and contributing to addressing disadvantage

- Drawing on international evidence, identify and consider options on how additional funding for Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare could be structured to deliver on the guiding principles and above policy objectives

- Agree a final report including a proposed design for a new Funding Model, with accompanying costings, risk analysis and mitigation and phased implementation plan (with funding likely to become available on an incremental basis) to recommend to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and ultimately Government.

The work of the Expert Group is well underway. Six meetings of the Group have been held to date and documentation from these meeting is publicly available at www.first5fundingmodel.gov.ie.

A research partner has also been appointed to deliver evidence-based working papers to the Expert Group.  Working papers on international approaches to funding, fees, staff wages and public investment in Ireland compared to other countries; potential mechanisms to control fees charged to parents, approaches to identifying children and/or services in need of additional support, and working conditions within the sector, have already been carried out and these are now being considered by the Expert Group. Other papers are under development. Working papers will be published from later this year.

The Expert Group is committed to engaging with key stakeholders, including children, families, providers and the workforce, in developing this funding model. Owing to COVID-19, a series of regional consultation events due to take place in March had to be cancelled. However, over the coming weeks and months, the Group will be inviting interested parties to make written submissions and to participate in an online conversation on future funding.

Given the complexity, significance and the long-term importance of its proposals, the project plan for the new funding model envisages a final report of the Expert Group including policy recommendations and implementation plans to be completed by Q4 2021.

Work on the implementation of First 5 continues and a progress report will be published shortly. 

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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994. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to set a cap on parental fees irrespective of income and publish a policy, legal and economic analysis in 2020 as set out in the Programme for Government; if terms of reference and tenders for this report have been initiated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19747/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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State investment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) has increased  by an unprecedented 141% over the past 5 budgets (from €260m to €638m). This has enabled, for example, a doubling of the ECCE programme to two years, a doubling of the number of children availing of State subsidies, a 60% increase in ELC and SAC places, greater access to ELC and SAC for children with additional needs and the development of the new National Childcare Scheme. 

The new Programme for Government acknowledges that much more needs to be done to tackle the challenges of accessibility, affordability and quality of ELC and SAC and more investment is needed.

First 5, the whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families pledges to at least double State investment in ELC and SAC by 2028. A key vehicle to ensure that such significant additional investment delivers for children, families and the State will be a new funding model .

An Expert Group to develop the new funding model has been convened. This Group is composed of renowned academics, top level economists and experienced policy makers from Ireland and elsewhere – all of whom have an enormous breadth of knowledge and experience. The Expert Group’s Terms of Reference are as follows:

- Agree a set of guiding principles to underpin the new Funding Model for Early Learning and Care and School Age

- Review the existing approach to funding Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare services by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in terms of its alignment with the guiding principles as well as effectiveness in delivering on the policy objectives of quality, affordability, accessibility and contributing to addressing disadvantage

- Drawing on international evidence, identify and consider options on how additional funding for Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare could be structured to deliver on the guiding principles and above policy objectives

- Agree a final report including a proposed design for a new Funding Model, with accompanying costings, risk analysis and mitigation and phased implementation plan (with funding likely to become available on an incremental basis) to recommend to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and ultimately Government.

An essential and top priority for this Group will be to make recommendations for a mechanism to control fee rates for different types of provision for ELC and SAC.

The Expert Group is supported by a Research Partner, Frontier Economics, which has been contracted to develop a suite of working papers to inform the work of the Group. Already, five working papers have been drafted, including a working paper on mechanisms to control fees charged to parents. It is envisaged that this working paper will be published later this year.

The Expert Group is committed to engaging with key stakeholders, including children, families, providers and the workforce, in developing this funding model. Owing to COVID-19, a series of regional consultation events due to take place in March had to be cancelled. However, over the coming weeks and months, the Group will be inviting interested parties to make written submissions. In addition, key stakeholders, including parents, will be invited to participate in an online conversation on future funding.

Over recent months my Department has provided a number of support schemes for ELC and SAC providers during the COVID-19 crisis. Included in these schemes are conditions which improve affordability for parents. The Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme, which operated while services were closed on public health grounds, included a condition that parents were not charged fees for the closure period. 

My Department’s Reopening Support Payment, to support services reopening between June and early September, included a commitment not to increase fees charged to parents from pre-COVID-19 levels. This applies for the duration of the reopening period (29 June to 23 August 2020). This condition is to ensure that fees for parents are not raised during this period, and to ensure that the Department’s aims of affordable ELC and SAC continue to be met.

Finally, the recently announced funding package for the sector from 24 August to the end of the year commits to a substantial investment of just under €300 million, mainly through the Revenue operated Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme and full resumption of DCYA ELC and SAC programmes. These DCYA programmes reduce fees by providing State subsidies which must be passed on to parents.  I hope that this package will mean that services will not increase parental fees given that, on average, 38% of their costs are now being met through the EWSS alone.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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995. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to examine options to increase flexibility within centre based care in addition to options to accelerate access to subsidies for non-relative childminders as set out in the Programme for Government; if terms of reference and tenders for this examination have been initiated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19748/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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A central task in increasing flexibility in access to early learning and care and school-age childcare is to make subsidies available to a wider cohort of childminders than is currently able to access subsidies. A report on options will be completed by year-end, building on work already undertaken to develop a Childminding Action Plan.

In 2016 an expert Working Group on Reforms and Supports for the Childminding Sector was established. In March 2018 the Working Group published its report Pathway to a Quality Support and Assurance System for Childminding, which set out a number of recommendations on the development of appropriate supports and changes to regulations required for childminders.

Building on the recommendations of the Working Group report, in August 2019 my Department published a Draft Childminding Action Plan, for the purpose of public consultation. The Draft Childminding Action Plan set out short, medium, and long-term measures on a phased basis for childminders to formalise their position over the next decade. Proposals included extending subsidy schemes and other supports to all paid, non-relative childminders, and extending the scope of regulation to childminders to provide quality assurance and safeguards for children.

An extensive public consultation on the Draft Childminding Action Plan took place in quarter 4 of 2019. A report was commissioned to consider the findings of the consultation process. Officials in my Department are currently preparing to publish the consultation report and the conclusions from the report will guide the development of a report on plans for childminding to be finalised by the end of the year.

There is already considerable flexibility in options for centre-based care. The National Childcare Scheme, introduced in 2019, offers flexibility to accommodate different models for delivery of both early learning and care and school-age childcare, for service providers that are registered with Tusla, the statutory regulator. The National Childcare Scheme can accommodate full flexibility in relation to types of service provision, location, hours of operation, and ages of both pre-school and school-age children catered for. The National Childcare Scheme is designed to be responsive and flexible, allowing income thresholds, maximum hours and subsidy rates to be adjusted in line with Government decisions and as more investment becomes available.

Measures to support further flexibility in options available include capital funding programmes for new and extended provision of centre-based services. Recent annual capital funding rounds have been able to support parents' access to places for under 3 year olds and for school-age children. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department has used the funding that was allocated for this year’s capital programme to provide grants to assist with the costs of supporting early learning and care and school-age childcare services to reopen and adhere to public health requirements. This grant will include enabling services to adhere to the reopening guidelines by improving hygiene facilities and outdoor play areas. A high level of flexibility in use of the grants is being allowed for in recognition of the fact that services have varied needs.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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996. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will investigate the circumstances in regard to the closure of a community based crèche (details supplied) in County Louth; if the relevant officials will be assigned to assess the situation in order to give clarity to the public on the future for childcare in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19808/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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On 27 July, officials in my Department were informed that the service in question has reversed its decision to close. The Board of Management is now planning to reopen the crèche on 31 August.  My Department is providing support to the  service through Louth County Childcare Committee and Pobal.

My Department issues grants and subsidies to early learning and care services so that they can provide quality and affordable childcare. My Department is not directly involved in the day to day activities or decision making processes of individual service providers, whether they are for-profit private organisations or not-for-profit community organisations with a recognised charitable status. 

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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997. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will begin to rationalise the system of childcare and distribute the burden of rearing the next generation across all of society rather than all on the immediate parents by establishing a fully funded public system of childcare similar to Sweden (details supplied) in the context of rising childcare costs and potentially fewer childcare places due to Covid-19. [19957/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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State investment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) has increased  by an unprecedented 141% over the past 5 budgets (from €260m to €638m). This has enabled, for example, a doubling of the ECCE programme to two years, a doubling of the number of children availing of State subsidies, a 60% increase in ELC and SAC places, greater access to ELC and SAC for children with additional needs. and development of the new National Childcare Scheme. 

Much more needs to be done to tackle the challenges of accessibility, affordability and quality of ELC and SAC and more investment is needed.

First 5, the whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families pledges to at least double State investment in ELC and SAC by 2028. A key vehicle to ensure that such significant additional investment delivers for children, families and the State will be a new funding model .

An Expert Group to develop the new funding model has been convened. This Group is composed of renowned academics, top level economists and experienced policy makers from Ireland and elsewhere – all of whom have an enormous breadth of knowledge and experience. The Expert Group’s Terms of Reference are as follows:

- Agree a set of guiding principles to underpin the new Funding Model for Early Learning and Care and School Age

- Review the existing approach to funding Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare services by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in terms of its alignment with the guiding principles as well as effectiveness in delivering on the policy objectives of quality, affordability, accessibility and contributing to addressing disadvantage

- Drawing on international evidence, identify and consider options on how additional funding for Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare could be structured to deliver on the guiding principles and above policy objectives

- Agree a final report including a proposed design for a new Funding Model, with accompanying costings, risk analysis and mitigation and phased implementation plan (with funding likely to become available on an incremental basis) to recommend to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and ultimately Government.

An essential and top priority for this Group will be to make recommendations for a mechanism to control fee rates for different types of provision for ELC and SAC and make childcare more affordable for parents.

The work of the Expert Group is well underway. Six meetings of the Group have been held to date and documentation from these meeting is publicly available at www.first5fundingmodel.gov.ie.

A research partner has also been appointed to deliver evidence-based working papers to the Expert Group.  Working papers on international approaches to funding, fees, staff wages and public investment in Ireland compared to other countries; potential mechanisms to control fees charged to parents, approaches to identifying children and/or services in need of additional support, and working conditions within the sector, have already been carried out and these are now being considered by the Expert Group. Other papers are under development. Working papers will be published from later this year.

The Expert Group is committed to engaging with key stakeholders, including children, families, providers and the workforce, in developing this funding model. Owing to COVID-19, a series of regional consultation events due to take place in March had to be cancelled. However, over the coming weeks and months, the Group will be inviting interested parties to make written submissions and to participate in an online conversation on future funding.

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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998. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 877 of 14 July 2020, the total income received by childcare providers from the State in 2018 and 2019, respectively by month. [20043/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I have been informed by Pobal, the agency which administers early learning and care funding programmes on behalf of my Department, that the total payments made to childcare providers in 2018 and 2019 are set out in the table below.

Pobal has a dedicated e-mail enquiry service for Oireachtas members - oireachtasqueries@pobal.ie 

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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999. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total income received by childcare providers by ECCE and non-ECCE funding, respectively, in 2018 and 2019. [20044/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I have been informed by Pobal, the agency which administers early learning and care funding programmes on behalf of my Department, that the total payments made to providers in 2018 and 2019, for ECCE and non-ECCE funding,  are as set out in the attached table.

Pobal has a dedicated e-mail enquiry service for Oireachtas members -  oireachtasqueries@pobal.ie

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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1000. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of ECCE-only childcare providers, that is, providers that do not offer a service outside of ECCE provision; the amount of annual funding they received; the number of childcare providers in receipt of State funding in same; the amount of annual funding received; the number of providers in receipt of funding that do not provide ECCE; and the amount of annual funding providers received in 2018 and 2019, respectively. [20045/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Officials in my Department are currently compiling the information as requested by the Deputy. This information will be supplied to the Deputy in no later than 10 working days. I have asked my officials to follow up on this to ensure delivery as a matter of urgency.