Written answers

Tuesday, 8 February 2022

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Childcare Services

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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489. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the immediate steps that can be taken and assistance that can be offered to a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6347/22]

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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495. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will assist with the provision of permanent and or temporary accommodation for an early learning facility (details supplied) in County Kildare. [6742/22]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 489 and 495 together.

The Department of Education Guidelines on the use of School Buildings Outside of School Hours, see www.assets.gov.ie/24484/ca5b1787db1b47f98de31f57e977dad0.pdf relate to the use of school facilities mainly for outside of school hours but which includes pre-schools. In line with these guidelines, the issue is a matter for the property owners taking into consideration the needs of the school, staff and students. The guidelines also require that any licence should include a term that the use of facility/portion of site covered by the licence must cease should it be required for school provision.

Capital investment in early learning and childcare will be delivered through the National Development Plan (NDP) during 2021-2030. Investment under the NDP will consist of three pillars : Modernisation, New Capacity and First 5 Initiatives. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare during the lifetime of the NDP as follows:

(1) Modernisation: Much of the existing early learning and childcare infrastructure that was previously delivered by large scale capital programmes is now in need of upgrading and modernisation in order to be fully compliant with new regulations and more recent guidelines, as well as to maximise energy efficiency. This investment will prioritise follow-up funding for buildings that were funded through the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP), with funding also available for previously non-funded infrastructure.

(2) New Capacity: Ireland is approaching the limits of capacity, with shortfalls for early learning and childcare places already evident in some areas and for some cohorts. The rates of participation in early learning and childcare are also lower than European averages. As investment in subsidisation grows in the coming years as committed to in First 5 and the Programme for Government, demand from parents will also increase.

In the coming years, NDP capital funding allocated to early learning and childcare will be used to increase the stock of early learning and childcare infrastructure, in order to address capacity challenges including the undersupply for certain types of provision and in specific areas of the country.

(3) First 5 Initiatives: First 5 (Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families 2019 -2028) was launched in 2018 and was re-committed to in the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future. First 5 envisages a range of innovative initiatives for the early learning and childcare sector, including piloting Family and Early Childhood Centres and piloting outdoor early learning and childcare provision, piloting meal provision. Each of these initiatives have capital requirements.

As outlined in the National Development Plan 2021-2030, access to affordable early learning and childcare is inherently linked to creating an equitable society, sustainable communities and a thriving economy. Early learning and childcare provision is therefore considered under the National Development Plan, along with housing, schools and health facilities as an integral part of national infrastructure.

In addition, the Department oversees a Case Management process through which local City and County Childcare committees and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to early learning and care and school age childcare services experiencing difficulties. This can include help with completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios, fee setting and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances. All services who require support should contact their local CCC in the first instance.

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