Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

450. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in the State from Ukraine under the Temporary International Protection Directive who he expects will qualify for the national childcare scheme; if they will qualify for the universal or means-tested subsidy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35821/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Beneficiaries of the Temporary International Protection Directive are not currently eligible for supports under the National Childcare Scheme.

Their exclusion from the NCS is being rectified by way of an amendment to the Childcare Support Act 2018, which is being brought as part of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, which is currently before this House., and which I hope can be passed within the next week.

These families will then be able to access NCS supports on the same basis as other families, including universal and means tested supports, and sponsorship from bodies such as Tulsa and local authorities.

All children aged up to 15 who are beneficiaries of the Temporary International Protection Order will qualify for NCS supports.There were, as of end June, over 40, 000 people from Ukraine in the State, based on the number of PPSN allocations.  Approximately 30% of the total, 12, 000 individuals, are aged under 15 and therefore eligible for NCS supports.  As the NCS is a demand led scheme it is not possible to accurately estimate the number of children who will attend childcare with NCS supports, as this is dependent on the childcare choices made by individual families.

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

451. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost to place Ukrainian children in the State under the Temporary International Protection Directive on the national childcare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35822/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Beneficiaries of the Temporary International Protection Directive are not currently eligible for supports under the National Childcare Scheme.  

Their exclusion from the NCS is being rectified by way of an amendment to the Childcare Support Act 2018,  which is being brought as part of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, which is currently before this House., and which I hope can be passed within the next week.  Once this Bill is enacted, beneficiaries of the Temporary International Protection Directive will be able to access NCS supports. 

The NCS provides both universal and targeted subsidies to families on a progressive basis, with families with the greatest need receiving the highest subsidies.

- The Universal Subsidy is currently available to all families with children under 3 years old, but will be extended to all children under 15 from 1 September 2022.  This subsidy is not means tested and provides 50c per hour towards the cost of a childcare, which is worth over €1,100 per annum for a child in full time childcare.

- Income Assessed Subsidies are available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years. This subsidy is means tested and varies depending on family income, the child’s age and educational stage, and the number of children in the family.  This subsidy can, for those families most in need, cover the full cost of childcare.

With regard to the cost of providing NCS supports to families fleeing Ukraine, based on the age profile of the people who are already in the State,  25% of all beneficiaries of the Temporary  International Protection Directive are ages 12 and under, and therefore the ages most likely to use childcare services, including after-school services.

As the NCS is a demand led scheme it is not possible to accurately calculate the cost of expanding the NCS to Temporary  International Protection Directive beneficiaries.