Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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630. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the childcare supports in place for front-line hospital staff, including for children who are of primary school age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10257/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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On 6 January it was announced that, in order to reduce movement in the population, early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services can remain open on a restricted basis, to offer services to the children of essential workers and to vulnerable children only. These arrangements were subsequently extended until 5 March.

An essential worker is someone who works in an essential service. Only one parent need qualify as an essential worker for their child to be eligible to access ELC/SAC services. For the purposes of accessing ELC/SAC an essential worker may be working from home. ELC/SAC providers have been asked to ensure that a place is available for all children of essential workers within their service.

The full list of essential services is available here:

Parents who are having difficulty finding places are advised to contact their local CCC. Information is available at myccc.ie

The National Childcare Scheme is also available to parents to offset the costs of Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare. It comprises of two types of subsidies:

- A universal subsidyis payable for children between the ages of 24 weeks and 36 months (or until the child qualifies for the Early Childhood Care and Education programme if later) who are availing of childcare services from an approved childcare service provider. The universal subsidy is not means-tested and is available to all qualifying families of any income level.

- An income-related subsidyis payable for children from 24 weeks to 15 years of age who are availing of childcare services from an approved childcare service provider. The level of subsidy is determined by the family’s assessable income (i.e. gross income minus tax, PRSI and other deductibles and minus any applicable multiple child discount).

Families engaged in work or study can qualify for up to 45 hours of subsidised childcare per week. Information on the NCS can be found at www.ncs.gov.ie and by phoning the Parent Support Centre at 01 906 8530. Parents can also contact their local City/County Childcare Committee to learn more about Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare supports available to them. Parents can find details about their local CCC at www.myccc.ie.