Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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177. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the national childcare scheme reviews (details supplied) will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27401/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) was first launched in November 2019. There are currently over 30,200 children who are subject to a claim by childcare providers. This is the highest number of child registrations on NCS to date and in comparative terms more children are registered for my Department’s schemes overall than were registered at the same time last year.

While the NCS is an initiative of my Department, a Scheme Administrator has been engaged to manage the operation of the Scheme on the Department’s behalf. Pobal acts in this capacity as Scheme Administrator, and it is their role to manage the review and appeal process.  

Once a review has been requested, a decision will be made by the Scheme Administrator within 40 working days of the review request or within 40 days of receipt of information requested by the Scheme Administrator. The Scheme Administrator shall inform the parent or childcare provider who requested the review in writing of the outcome of the review within 10 working days of making a decision.

My Department has referred these cases to Pobal, who will follow up directly with the individuals concerned within the notified timeframes.