Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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532. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a company (details supplied) has signed up to the core funding model for childcare and in doing so agreed to freeze fees at 2021 levels. [21145/23]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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533. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if recent moves by a childcare provider (details supplied) are a breach of any undertaking not to increase child care fees under the core funding model; if the attempt by the company to charge parents for after-school fees while the child is out of school term represents a back-door way to increase fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21146/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 532 and 533 together.

The public register of Core Funding Partner Services is available here: first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Core-Funding-List-verified-18.04.23.pdf. The Deputy might note references to the service she refers to in the Partner Service list.

All Core Funding Partner Services must operate their early learning and childcare service in line with the terms and conditions outlined in the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement: first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Core-Funding-Partner-Service-Funding-Agreement-09.08.22-Final-revised-clean-PDF.pdf.

Regarding fees, Partner Services must uphold their contractual obligations on Fee Management as laid out in the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement. In its first year, Core Funding requires Partner Services not to increase the fees charged to parents from those charged in September 2021. An increased charge of any kind for an existing and unchanged Service Type will be in breach of Core Funding rules.

The Partner Service may create a new Service Type and must ensure that the fee for any new Service Type will be calculated as not more than a proportion of the closest equivalent fee extant on September 30th 2021 which, all other things being equal, would apply to the eligible child.

Where a Partner Service increases the level of service offered, a higher fee can be charged for this, but the higher fee must be in direct proportion to the increase. For example, an increase in full-day care from 40 hours/week to 50 hours/week represents an increase of 25%. A higher fee can be charged for this but it cannot exceed 25% more than the previous fee that was charged to parents as of 30 September 2021. Similarly, an increase in weeks from a 38 week offering to a 52 week offering must be charged proportionately.

Parents or Guardians of children attending a Core Funding Partner Service may seek to have issues examined and a conclusion reached through the Core Funding Fee Review process operated through City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs), Pobal and the DCEDIY. An individual may initiate this process by contacting their local CCC. The CCC will notify and obtain permission from the initiator before escalation of the case to Pobal.

I would encourage any parent or person with concerns or questions about fees to contact their local CCC for support and guidance, contact details available here: myccc.ie/where-is-my-nearest-ccc