James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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305. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports that are in place for early years providers that face an unexpected loss of premises; if his Department’s sustainability fund can be accessed for this purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15317/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I am aware of the challenges that can face an Early Learning and Care (ELC) or School Age Childcare (SAC) service if they unexpectedly lose their premises and have an effective response in place to support such circumstances. 

My Department oversees a case management process, through which local City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to ELC and SAC services experiencing difficulties. Under the direction of my Department, Pobal co-ordinate the overall case management process with the CCC administering on-the-ground case management assistance. This can include help with completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances. CCC and Pobal have previously engaged with services that were losing access to their current premises and provided assistance to identify alternatives.

Financial supports, which may also be accessed through the case management process, are available for community services presenting with sustainability issues following a financial assessment by Pobal.  This includes a strand that can support community services with the operational costs associated with a sudden need to move premises. 

While both community (not-for-profit) and private (for-profit) services play a vital role in the sector in providing services in local communities, this financial support is currently available for the community sector. It is unfortunately not possible for the Department to provide direct financial assistance to private (for-profit) childcare services experiencing this particular circumstance at present.

It is worth noting, however, that past experience of services that unexpectedly lose their premises indicates that locating suitable alternative premises is normally a bigger obstacle than access to finances.  Support to find alternative accommodation is available to all services, both private and community, from their local CCC.

The CCC should be the first point of contact for any service seeking support; I would therefore urge any ELC or SAC service in difficulty to contact their local CCC as soon as possible if they have not done so already.