Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2012
270 Deputy Mary Mitchell O’Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide the following information in respect of his Department and State agencies under his aegis; if any action will be taken in cases in which free or subsidised child care facilities have been provided and the benefit in kind taxation provisions of the Finance Act 2011 have not been applied. [5312/12]
View answer271 Deputy Mary Mitchell O’Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide the following information in respect of his Department and State agencies under his aegis: in cases in which free or subsidised child-care facilities are being provided, if benefit is provided to be employees concerned, with effect from 1 January 2011, as required under the Finance Act 2011. [5328/12]
View answer272 Deputy Mary Mitchell O’Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department or the State agencies under his aegis provide free or subsidised child care facilities for its employees. [5344/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 270 to 272, inclusive, together.
In Budget 2001, the Minister for Finance allocated €12.7m for the provision of crèches for the children of civil servants. The allocation was part of a major initiative by the Government to improve childcare provision and increase the number of child care places available. At that time, the absence of quality child care places which restricted the participation of women in the labour force had been identified as a constraint on Ireland's economic growth. The provision of child care places was identified as an important mechanism for mobilising under utilised labour resources.
Over the following seven years, seven crèches were taken over or completed under the Child care Initiative. The seven crèches are located in Athlone, Celbridge (Backweston), Cork, Ennis, Sligo and Dublin (Mount Street and Marlborough Street). There are three different private operators responsible for running the crèches. Contracts to these operators were awarded following tender processes. The crèches can accept the children of staff working in the wider public service also.
The Initiative was the subject of a Value for Money and Policy Review which was published in November 2008. Arising from this review, work on pursuing additional crèches under the auspices of the Initiative ended.
The fees charged by the crèches are paid by parents directly to the private operators. Responsibility and related current funding for the maintenance of civil service crèche buildings rests with the Office of Public Works (OPW). My Department retains the responsibility for any policy issues relating to the crèches and chairs the Board of the Initiative. The Board also has representatives from the OPW, the Department of Children and the Civil Service Unions.
My Department is in discussion with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners on the implications of the relevant benefit in kind taxation provisions and the arrangements that need to be made in order to comply with the relevant provisions of the 2011 Finance Act and will communicate the outcome to all Government Departments.
