Written answers
Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Childcare Services
Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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517. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will consider allowing a creche (details supplied) in County Sligo to join the new pilot scheme for the provision of hot meals to children in early learning and childcare settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15214/23]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Following my Department's announcement of the Hot Meals Pilot in November, we have had a lot of interest from the sector, and it has not been possible to select every service that came forward. The pilot scheme is already underway at a number of settings and we are unable to take on more services at this time.
It is our hope, however, that this pilot will inform my Department’s ongoing work to develop a DEIS-type model for Early Learning and Childcare, which aims to provide services with a proportionate mix of universal and targeted supports to support children and families accessing their services who are experiencing disadvantage.
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