Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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244. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason that the national childcare scheme subsidy is paid based on hours attended rather than hours paid for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53900/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The National Childcare Scheme is designed to be flexible and acknowledges that childcare needs differ widely across different families. The National Childcare Scheme subsidies are awarded as an hourly rate, based on the agreed weekly hours of childcare for which the subsidy will be paid. The Scheme is designed so that funding is provided for the amount of care agreed between parents and providers up to the weekly maximum number of hours. This design maximises the benefits of public monies, ensuring a full-time subsidy is not being paid in respect of a child utilising a lesser number of hours than registered for, and that the investment is following the child.

However, the scheme recognises that, in practical terms, parents are constrained by commuting schedules, traffic and other individual circumstances. As such, attendance rules for the scheme facilitate the need for flexibility, and allow for some fluctuations in actual attendance without penalty.

Parents will agree weekly hours with providers and the overall total weekly attendance is reported to the Scheme Administrator. Under-attendance is only flagged if the child has typically been attending for less than the registered hours for an eight week period, and no further action is taken unless this under-attendance continues for a further four weeks. The Scheme also provides for particular exemptions to the attendance rules under certain circumstances to allow for extended absences.