Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 February 2013
32. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of places currently available on the after school scheme that was announced in budget 2013; the timeline for availability of the proposed 6,000 places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7305/13]
View answerAs part of Budget 2013 I, together with my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, was pleased to announce a new School Age Childcare initiative which will be targeted at low-income parents availing of employment opportunities.
The initiative is expected to receive full year funding of €14 million to provide over 6,000 after-school places for children attending primary school in order to support parents to take up employment. Lack of access to affordable, quality childcare is a significant barrier to many low income and disadvantaged families seeking to avail of work opportunities.
This initiative will provide an important support measure to enable parents to avail of job opportunities. This is in line with the Government's overall strategy to support parents of low income families to take up employment and demonstrates how Departments are working together to deliver the Government's agenda on promoting employment and supporting children's development.
The School Age Childcare Scheme will further augment my Department's programme of childcare supports for low income families. These include the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programmes, both of which provide subsidised childcare for low income parents, including qualifying parents who are on approved VEC and FÁS education and training courses. In 2013, my Department expects to spend over €70 million on the CCS and CETS programmes, supporting over 30,000 childcare places.
Officials in both my own Department and the Department of Social Protection are currently working to finalise the details of the scheme and its operational arrangements. As is the case with the CETS scheme, the new scheme is expected to be open to both community and commercial childcare providers across the State and it is anticipated that places will become available on an interim basis from early 2013 with the full roll-out of the programme commencing in September 2013. As soon as this work has been completed, further information will be made available.
