Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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1516. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to detail the financial supports that are available for community-based childcare services operating in school settings (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58639/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I do not want any Provider to be faced with financial sustainability issues in their delivery of Early Learning and Childcare services. In addition to the childcare subsidy schemes offered, there are wider financial supports available from the Department. Where a private for-profit service is experiencing financial difficulty or has viability concerns, these can be accessed while remaining within Core Funding. However, while the Department provides funding to the early learning and childcare sector, it does not directly operate or manage early learning and childcare services. Decisions about the day-to-day running of services, including their chosen business model or base of operations, ultimately lie with the provider. In this instance, accessibility to the school grounds outside of academic term time is not within the Department’s remit and is a matter for discussion between the service operator and school management.

Since 2017, the Department has offered Sustainability Funding to community ELC/SAC services in crisis. In 2018, a Sustainability Funding policy was formalised, and a framework was created which coupled this Sustainability Funding with on-the-ground case management assistance. The purpose of the supports within this framework were to provide emergency funding to community services where a need for funding was identified while also ensuring that the case management performed at a service level identified and resolved underlying issues that may have caused the initial crisis.

As part of the Case Management process, City or County Childcare Committees (CCC) assist services with issues and difficulties that arise. The CCC may refer Core Funding-partner services facing difficulties to Pobal and the Department to be considered for Sustainability Funding. Sustainability Funding is intended to prevent significant issues that threaten the viability of a service. Any service seeking these supports should contact their City or County Childcare Committee.

This support can take the form of assisting services with interpreting analysis of staff ratios and cash flow, financial support, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances.

I would encourage any service experiencing financial difficulty and who would like support to contact their CCC to access case management supports. Contact details for the CCCs can be found at .