Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 December 2013
79. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the recent Indecon report on support for child care for working families as a mechanism to tackle the regulation of childminders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53854/13]
View answer86. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to implement the recommendations outlined in the report commissioned by Donegal county child care committee supporting working families, Releasing the Brake on Economic Growth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53855/13]
View answer95. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the level of funding available within her Department to implement the recommendations outlined in the report commissioned by Donegal county child care committee supporting working families, Releasing the Brake on Economic Growth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53845/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 86 and 95 together.
I am aware that lack of access to affordable, quality childcare is a significant barrier to many low-income and disadvantaged families seeking to avail of work opportunities. My Department has a funding allocation in 2014 of some €260m per annum which is used to implement a number of childcare programmes.
€175m of this funding is committed to providing the free Pre-School Year which benefits approximately 68,000 children each year. The financial benefit to the parent of a child participating in the free pre-school year is about €2,500. I have succeeded, despite the challenging budgetary situation, in maintaining the Pre-School Year as a universal and free programme, ensuring that a significant number of children, who would not otherwise be able to do so, can avail of quality pre-school services.
Some €76.4m in funding is used to implement the Community Childcare Subvention and Childcare Education and Training Support programmes. These provide subsidised childcare for lower income and disadvantaged families and parents participating in programmes provided by Solas and Education and Training Boards. About 33,000 children benefit each year.
A further €9.5m in funding will be used in 2014 to implement an after school programme, targeted at low-income parents availing of employment opportunities, and a new part-time programme targeted at Community Employment participants. Some 2,600 children are expected to benefit from these programmes.
I am happy to advise the Deputy that my Department will be reviewing the Community Childcare Subvention and Childcare Education and Training Support programmes in the coming year with a view to identifying areas where they could be enhanced and improved to ensure that the best use of this funding investment is being made. The recommendations of the Indecon Report will be considered as part of this process.
As the Deputy may be aware, pre-school services are subject to the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006. Childminders taking care of not more than three pre-school children from different families are currently not subject to the Regulations and therefore are not obliged to notify their services to the HSE. Childminders not subject to the Regulations are encouraged and incentivised to voluntarily notify their services and to avail of quality training programmes. There has been a limited response to these incentives and considerable work will need to be done to ensure whatever form of regulation is introduced works for children, parents and for childminders. My Department will be working to develop a suitable approach in consultation with stakeholders in the sector.
