Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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205. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of childcare facilities registered with his Department that have opened in each of the years 2020 and 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47460/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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206. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider backdating the universal childcare subsidy to when the child started creche; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47478/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme are payable from the start of the week in which the child is registered by the early learning and childcare service provider, subject to approval of the registration by the parent. Subsidies cannot be paid for a time before this point as backdating is not permitted.

As the Scheme's systems operate on a weekly basis, payment will be made for the week regardless of what day the registration is made. The start date registered by the provider can be at any point in the future but can never precede the date of notification of the award, i.e. there is no backdating prior to the date of receiving the award.

This is a key financial and governance control to ensure we are maximising the benefits of public monies and that the investment is following the child.