Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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206. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which his Department liaises with the Department of Education with a view to putting in place integrated after-school childcare facilities for children in their school buildings to ensure appropriate care is available for children whose parents work full time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39450/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The term after-school can cover a range of activities from regulated school aged childcare to after-school homework clubs or youth activity projects such as cooking lessons. Depending on the activity, funding may be available from different Departments and agencies. For the purposes of this answer, it is assumed that the matter being raised is school aged childcare.

A ‘school age service’ means any early years service, play group, day nursery, crèche, day-care or other similar service, the primary purpose of which is to care for children where their parents are unavailable.

In relation to the operation of both Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services that are located on school premises, my Department regularly engages with colleagues in the Department of Education. The Department of Education encourage schools to facilitate requests for the provision of such services where possible, though priority must be given to the interests of the schools, teachers and pupils. It is also important to note that schools are run by their Board of Management and so the decision on whether or not to facilitate SAC or ELC services on the premises ultimately lies with the Board of Management.

First 5, the whole-of-government strategy to improve the lives of babies, young children and their families recognises the potential for the use of school facilities for early learning childcare. To assist schools in considering applications for use of their facilities, the Department of Education in consultation with representatives of schools published Guidelines on the use of School Buildings outside of School Hours in 2017. In line with commitments in First 5, in 2023, the Department of Education conducted a survey of a representative sample of schools on the use of school buildings to facilitate early learning and childcare services. The results of this survey were used to review the Guidelines on the use of School Buildings outside of School Hours.

Finally while my Department does not directly provide after school childcare, it does provide a range of supports for any body that wishes to set up an early learning and childcare or after school childcare service. Any school which wants to set up an after-school service, and which registers with Tulsa, can access the National Childcare Scheme funding which may reduce the cost of after-school care to parents. Schools may establish such a service themselves, or may provide premises to a Tusla registered provider to deliver after-school care on the school premises. Schools can get support from their local County Childcare Committee (CCC) for information and support on establishing or hosting an after-school service. Details of the CCCs can be found on .