Written Answers Nos. 854-878
854. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of retired civil and public servants that have been rehired on temporary contracts or as consultants under his remit; if he will provide a breakdown of those figures in tabular form, providing associated costs of such rehiring; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30561/14]
View answerThree retired civil and public servants have been re-hired on temporary contracts or as consultants at present in my Department. A breakdown of same is contained in the table below.
|
Grade |
Per diem rate |
|
Principal Officer |
€ 360.91 per diem |
|
Radio Officer Grade III |
€ 191.47 per diem |
|
Radio Officer Grade III |
€ 191.47 per diem |
855. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a child (details supplied) will be accepted for the early childhood care and education scheme. [29007/14]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a free and universal programme which provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children.
Children are eligible to avail of the free pre-school year where they are aged more than 3 years 2 months and less than 4 years 7 months at 1 September in the relevant year. Children born between 2 February 2010 and 30 June 2011 will qualify for the free pre-school year in September 2014 and children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 will qualify for the programme in September 2015.
The child in question was born in August 2011 and is below the age range for eligibility for the programme in the school year 2014/15. The child is not being denied access to the programme and will qualify for the free pre-school provision in the school year 2015/16. There is no provision under the programme to enrol children who are below the qualifying age.
The objective of the ECCE programme is to make early learning in a formal setting available to eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. To achieve this, services participating in the pre-school year are expected to provide age-appropriate activities and programmes to children within a particular age cohort. For this reason, it is appropriate to set minimum and maximum limits to the age range within which children will qualify.
856. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps has he taken to provide an education welfare officer for the Dublin 15 area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29303/14]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware the functions and operational responsibilities of the former National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) are now part of the Child and Family Agency, which was established on 1 January 2014. Since this date the staff of the former NEWB, including its Education Welfare Officers (EWOs), have transferred to the new Agency. The three service strands formerly under the remit of NEWB – the statutory Educational Welfare Service and the school support programme services (Home-School Community Liaison Scheme and the School Completion Programme) under the DEIS strategy – collectively form the Educational Welfare Services of the new Agency. Within the Agency, the statutory Education Welfare Service has specific responsibility for the Agency’s general function to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The appointment of EWOs is a function of the Child and Family Agency.
I have been advised that the position of EWO in Dublin 15 has been vacant, on account of a number of circumstances, since April 2012. I have also been advised that arrangements are in place so that schools in the area continue to have access to support from the Education Welfare Service and that currently this support is being provided by the Senior EWO in the area. The Agency has advised me that it has become necessary to prioritise those cases where students are out of school, expelled or have special education needs in complex situations.
The Agency has advised me that a reorganisation of Educational Welfare Services within available resources in the greater Dublin area is being undertaken at present with a view to providing an improved service in a number of areas, including Dublin 15.
Vacancies that arise in staffing in the front line services for children and young people at risk of early school leaving are kept under review and will be prioritised by the Agency, in consultation with my Department, in so far as possible working within Government policy on public service numbers and the moratorium on recruitment.
857. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a programme (details supplied) in County Cork will experience a cut to its budget for the next school year; if so the amount of same; the way this programme is expected to continue with its invaluable service to students with reduced resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29384/14]
View answerThe School Completion Programme (SCP) aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to generally improve the school attendance, participation and retention of its target cohort. The SCP is a targeted intervention aimed at those school communities identified through the Department of Education and Skills’ DEIS Action Plan for Educational Inclusion. It involves 124 locally managed projects, including Le Chéile SCP, and related initiatives operating across 470 primary and 224 post-primary schools to provide targeted supports to approximately 36,000 children and young people. The programme's project model approach gives local communities the autonomy to devise innovative approaches to address the needs of young people most at risk of early school leaving.
Since its establishment, the Child and Family Agency has operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme, including the allocation of funds to projects within the programme. As with all major spending programmes, the School Completion Programme budget was subject to examination under the terms of the 2011 Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE). This process identified a requirement for savings of 6.5% per annum across the programme over the period 2012 to 2014. In 2014, €24.456m has been made available to the Agency for the programme. The potential for any changes in the funding allocated to this programme in future years is a matter to be considered in the estimates and budgetary process having regard to the resources available to Government.
I am advised that proposals are in process of being formulated by the Agency in relation to the funding for SCP projects in the coming 2014/2015 academic year, based on Retention Plans submitted to the Agency by SCP Projects for the next cycle of the programme within the available funding parameters notified to projects. As with all 124 projects, and in line with CRE requirements, Le Chéile SCP, which involves 1 post-primary and 4 primary schools, has been requested to plan for a reduction of 6.5% on its 2013/14 allocated budget of €264,426. The Agency will continue to work closely with the Local Management Committee, schools and local SCP co-ordinator to assist the project in this process.
858. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in care with a disability; and the number of these children who have an allocated social worker. [28993/14]
View answer859. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in care with an allocated social worker by year end in 2013; and the present number of children in care with an allocated social worker. [28994/14]
View answer860. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the current number of children in care with a statutory care plan; and the number of children by year end in 2013 who had a statutory care plan. [28995/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 858 to 860, inclusive, together.
The Child and Family Agency compiles monthly performance reports which include statistics in relation to children in care. These reports are published on the Agency's website. At the end of December 2013 there were 6,462 children in care. Of these 92% (number 5,935) had an allocated Social Worker and 87% (number 5,648) had a written care plan. The latest report available shows that at the end of April 2014 there were 6,492 children in care; 93% (no 6,023) had an allocated social worker and 90% (no 5,868) had an up to date written care plan.
Data in relation to children in care with a disability has been collected since 2013. This is collected annually on the last day of September. For the purposes of data collection, it is defined as: 'The number of children in care by care type who have a diagnosis of a moderate and/or severe disability as assessed by a clinical specialist on the last day of the reporting period.'
The Agency has advised that in September 2013, 537 children of the 6,461 children in care were diagnosed as having a moderate or severe disability. The Agency has advised that they do not specifically collate information in relation to the number of children in care with a disability who have an allocated social worker.
861. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will outline in tabular form per annum from 2009 to date in 2014 the total number of freedom of information, FOI, requests received by his Department; the total refused; total granted; total part granted; total appealed; total successfully appealed; total part successfully appealed; total refusals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29063/14]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below and is with effect from the date of the establishment of my Department, 2 June 2011.
|
Year |
Total Received |
Refused |
Granted |
Part Granted |
Appealed/Part Appealed |
Appeals/Part Appeals - Successful/ Refused |
*Withdrawn /Dealt with Outside of FOI |
*Carried over at Year End* |
|
2011 |
6 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
1 Appeal Successful |
0 |
|
|
2012 |
32 |
2 |
18 |
1 |
1 Appeal |
1 Appeal Successful |
4 |
7 |
|
2013 |
30 |
1 |
23 |
1 |
1 Part Appeal |
1 Part Appeal -Refused |
4 |
8 |
|
2014 |
21 |
0 |
13 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
862. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide in tabular form the number of staff in his Department currently on a sabbatical or career break broken down by timeframe, that is, zero to six months, six to 12 months, one to two years, two to three years, four to five years, and five years plus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29080/14]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy on the number of staff in my Department currently on a sabbatical/career break by duration is set out as requested in tabular form below.
|
Currently by duration |
0-6 months |
6-12 months |
1-2 years |
2-3 years |
4-5 years |
5 years |
|
No. of staff |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
863. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide in tabular form, the total photography costs for his Department since his coming to office, inclusive of costs incurred from use of the ministerial allowance; the list of occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used; if there is a policy regarding the booking of photographers within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29097/14]
View answerI assumed office on the 8th of May 2014 and since that date no photography costs have been incurred by my Department.
It is the policy of my Department to keep costs in relation to the use of photographers to a minimum. My Department has a detailed project planning process for each event and the decision to book a photographer is based on the merits of the event. Increasingly my Department utilises its own staff to take photographs in-house thereby reducing costs.
864. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide, in tabular form, the use of external public relations firms employed by his Department since coming to office; the list of uses of the external public relations firm; the internal Department policy with regard to employing external groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29114/14]
View answerI assumed office on the 8th May 2014 and since that date no external public relations firms have been employed by my Department.
With regard to my Department's internal policy on external groups providing public relations services, such groups are hired as needs arise, where it is felt their professional expertise can be of assistance to my Department.
865. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total amount spent on external IT consultants by his Department in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29149/14]
View answer866. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his Department has renegotiated external IT consultancy contracts and costs since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29168/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 865 and 866 together.
My Department does not engage external contractors for IT related services and as a consequence the issue of renegotiating does not arise.
The Department of Health operates a shared information and communications technology service, which supports the needs of this Department and its agencies. This arrangement has been in place since the Department was established in July 2011.
867. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide in tabular form the number of appointments to State boards under his Department's remit made since March 2011 to date; the number of vacancies on State boards under his Department's remit since March 2011 to date; the number of vacancies on State boards under his Department's remit publicly advertised from March 2011 to date; and the number of appointments to State boards under his remit drawn directly from the public advertisement process. [29186/14]
View answer48 persons have been appointed to the boards of management of bodies under the aegis of my Department, since its establishment in June 2011.
|
Agency |
Board Membership |
Appointed since June 2011 |
|
Child and Family Agency |
9 |
9* |
|
Adoption Authority |
7 |
2 |
|
Children’s Detention School Board of Management |
13 |
13 |
|
Family Support Agency |
n/a |
23 |
|
National Educational Welfare Board |
n/a |
10 |
*Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board were dissolved and the service provision for these Agencies along with Child and Family Services previously provided by the HSE transferred to the new Agency with effect from 1st January, 2014. The membership of the board of the Family Support Agency was appointed to the board of the new Child and Family Agency on its establishment on January 1st 2014. The Ombudsman for Children's Office does not have a board.
As the Deputy may be aware, in line with the Government decision of April 2011, new arrangements were put in place for the making of appointments to State Boards and bodies. Following this Government Decision, on my Department's website, I have invited expressions of interest from persons interested in being appointed to the boards of State Bodies and Agencies operating under the Department's aegis. The notice indicates the vacancies in the boards of the respective bodies. My officials acknowledge all expressions of interest received and maintain a database of those expressions. My Department’s website is monitored and updated on a regular basis to reflect the number of vacancies as they arise.
The Deputy may wish to note that the governing legislation in relation to each of these bodies sets out the composition of the board either in terms of their qualifications and experience, or the Government Minister or body that is responsible for nominating representatives on them or who must be consulted in the nomination process.
In making my decisions on appointments to boards, subject to the governing legislation, I will consider the most suitable persons for the positions available with due regard to the body or agency in question and its particular responsibilities and I will seek to ensure that the appropriate mix of skills and experience is in place to achieve the best result.
868. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 255 of 12 June 2014, if he will provide in detail the expenses claimed by members of staff attending the Health Service Executive child care conferences; his views on the number of staff attending these conferences; and the section of the HSE to which they are affiliated. [29277/14]
View answerA child protection conference (sometimes called a case conference) is a formal meeting that the Child and Family Agency hold if it has major concerns about a child. The Agency decides on the professionals and individuals invited to the conference and may include the Social Worker, the Principal Social Worker, School Principal, Public Health Nurse, family Doctor, Gardaí and any other professional who knows the child and/or has been involved with the child. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the parents will be invited to attend.
The purpose of the case conference is to decide on whether the child needs to be taken into Care (on a voluntary basis or by Care Order), where the child should live while in care; the contact the child can have with their family and if the child can return home. It is crucial that a variety of professionals attend the case conference given the complexity and significance of all decisions made.
Where a child is in the care of the Agency, the Agency will, in accordance with Regulations, review the child’s circumstances. The review will examine how the current placement is meeting the child’s needs and any health, mental health and educational needs. Similarly, the Agency will invite the professionals and other individuals, for example, the foster carers who have been involved with the child, to the case review. Where the child is old enough they will also be invited to the review. Again, given the importance of any decision made regarding the child’s care and future, it is imperative that this is informed by the diverse range of people involved in the child’s care and life.
In relation to the section of the HSE that conferences are affiliated with, it would appear that the Deputy is referring to Child and Family Agency which was established on 1 January 2014 and has responsibility for child protection, family support and other key children’s services. The expenses claimed by staff members who attend conferences are in accordance with the National Financial Regulations noted in the Parliamentary Question No. 255 of 12 June 2014. It is not possible to provide the Deputy with the detail requested. I am satisfied with the thorough process and welcome the attendance of professionals involved in the child’s life and care to assist in the decision making for the future of such children who may need the care, protection and support of the State.
869. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of Bills his Department has published since March 2011; the number of regulatory impact assessments that his Department has published since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29288/14]
View answerMy Department was established on the 2nd June 2011 and since then I have published the Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012, the Child and Family Agency Bill 2013, the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2013, the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2013 and the Children First Bill 2014.
Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA) were published in relation to the Child and Family Agency Bill 2013 and the Children First Bill 2014.
870. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his Department or agencies under its auspices has engaged the services of a debt collection agency in pursuing money owed to his Department or its agencies; if his Department have guidelines regarding hiring such agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29325/14]
View answerThe Deputy might wish to note that my Department has not employed the services of a debt collection agency. The State agencies under the remit of the Department have also been consulted in relation to this matter and they confirmed that no such services have been engaged.
871. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the sources of funding from his Department or agencies of his Department for youth cafes; if any new youth cafes are being funded at present; if so where application forms can be sourced for this funding; the closing date for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29341/14]
View answerIn some recent years capital funding has been made available to my Department to support the provision of new youth cafés. In 2013 a capital allocation of €1.55m for new youth cafés was made available by my Department. In 2012 €.5m was allocated to the scheme.
Pobal assisted my Department with the 2013 scheme. In all 95 applications were received and some 30 proposals were approved for funding. These projects are currently working with Pobal to develop their projects to the next stage.
In 2014, some €.5m in capital funding has been made available to my Department for small capital projects in the youth services. Details of the scheme will be made available in the coming months.
Youth cafés offer young people a safe, alcohol and drug free space for recreation, non-formal learning and youth focused activities. As such, they can make an important contribution to the development of services to meet the needs of young people in their local communities. The development of youth café facilities is a priority for my Department should further capital funding become available in future years.
872. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 698 of 24 June 2014, the level of this funding that went to the Centre for Effective Services for assisting his Department in compiling the document. [29566/14]
View answerBetter Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014 -2020 (NPF) was published and launched by Government in 2014. The NPF comprehends the continuum from infancy through early and middle childhood to adolescence and early adulthood. It provides the overarching framework for the development and implementation of policy and services for children and young people.
The Framework brings together key policies instanced in the Programme for Government including those relating to prevention and early intervention initiatives, early childhood education, breaking the cycle of disadvantage, through area based approaches to address child poverty, aftercare provision and addressing issues around anti-social behaviour.
The NPF provides a means for cross departmental collaboration to promote the well-being of children and young people and a fresh impetus to a whole-of-government approach to current and emerging issues, including childhood obesity, healthy lifestyles, the impact of media and new technologies, the sexualisation of children and promoting pro-social behaviour. It accommodates a number of constituent strategies which focus in greater detail on the areas of Participation, Early Years, and Youth, which be developed in 2014.
The Centre for Effective Services was invited by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to assist the Department with the NPF.
The amount paid to date to CES for compiling the NPF is €42k.
873. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide details of funding that was allocated to the Centre for Effective Services and the purpose of it during each of the past four years. [29567/14]
View answerThe funding provided by DCYA to the Centre for Effective Services (CES) for the period in question is as follows: 2011, €225,000; 2012, €755,000; 2013, €594,000; and 2014, €770,000. It should be noted that the figures in respect of 2011 -2013 represent actual payments by DCYA direct to CES while the 2014 figure is an allocated amount. The CES is co-funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies and this funding supports a range of activities including those relevant to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs
The establishment of the Centre for Effective Services (CES) as a charitable organisation in 2008 reflected agreement, including a commitment to joint funding, by Atlantic Philanthropies, the Office for the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to support an organisation which would improve outcomes for children, young people, families and communities by working with a range of organisations in the not-for-profit sector, including government departments, statutory agencies and community organisations, to connect and support the implementation of effective policy, efficient systems and good practice, using the best available evidence. CES operates on an all-island basis, with offices in Dublin and Belfast.
CES has been a key partner in a number of initiatives led by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs since the Department’s commencement. CES provides research, evaluation and technical expertise in relation to the development of evidence informed policy and practice. DCYA provides CES with an annual grant and agrees an annual work plan.
In addition to its overall role of working to improve the effectiveness of services in Ireland the CES has provided practical and technical expertise to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs over the period in question in areas such as:
- Development and national scaling of Children’s Services Committees which are key local structures for the planning of integrated children's services.
- Identifying and disseminating learning from the Prevention and Early Intervention Programmes delivered in three Dublin communities and a range of other early intervention projects around the country.
- Providing technical assistance in relation to The Area Based Childhood (ABC) programme, jointly funded by DCYA and the Atlantic Philanthropies, which targets investment in evidence-informed interventions to improve the long-term outcomes for children and families living in areas of disadvantage.
- Providing technical support in relation to the Department’s development in the area of Youth Policy. Key recent outputs here relate to research-related publications ‘Mapping the Contribution of Irish Youth Work to Youth Employment’ and the ‘Theory-Practice Tool for Youth Work’ in addition to more general expertise in the Department’s development of evidence informed youth policy and programmes.
- Supporting the DCYA Expert Advisory Group appointed by the Minister in the development of the Early Years Strategy for Ireland. The objective of CES’ support was to provide evidence and identify key issues and lessons on a number of agreed areas, to inform the work of DCYA, the Expert Advisory Group and other relevant groups in the development of the Early Years Strategy.
The CES continues to support the DCYA in its development of a National Early Years Strategy. The CES contributed to the development of 'Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures - the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020' and is assisting in the implementation of the framework.
874. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide the name, position and annual salary awarded to each of his special advisers; if he will provide details of any request made for an increase above the special adviser pay cap from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the amount of the increase sought. [29598/14]
View answerFollowing my appointment as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs on 8th May 2014, I approached the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for sanction to appoint Ms. Sarah Kavanagh as my Special Advisor. In line with standing instructions on Ministerial Appointments this appointment will be on the first point of the Principal Officer (Standard) scale i.e. €75,647 per annum. I can confirm that no request for an increase above the special advisor pay cap was made.
The appointment of a Special Advisor is subject to the making by Government of an Order under the provisions of the Public Service Management Act 1997 and officials of my Department are continuing to progress the necessary arrangements to conclude the appointment process.
875. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will investigate a case where a family (details supplied) has been deemed ineligible for the community child care subvention scheme; if he will take account of all the details supplied and allow this family to avail of the CCS scheme [29671/14]
View answerI understand that the persons referred to by the Deputy were deemed ineligible for support under the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme following verification by the Department of Social Protection of the information submitted by the childcare service as part of the annual parental returns. This matter was successfully appealed and the childcare service was notified on 27 May 2014 of the outcome. Officials in my Department have again contacted the service provider in question and confirmed with them the eligibility of the parents for support under the programme.
876. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding Tallaght Hospital crèche (details supplied). [29699/14]
View answerIn response to the Deputy's previous Parliamentary Question in relation to this matter, my Department asked the Child and Family Agency to have the matter investigated and to reply directly to the Deputy. I have asked my officials to contact the Agency again and ask them to deal directly with the Deputy in this matter.
877. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will ensure a bilateral agreement is made with Russia to allow Irish families to adopt children from Russia without further delay. [29722/14]
View answerEfforts are ongoing in my Department in relation to a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and the Russian Federation. Following a meeting with a delegation of Russian officials in October 2013 my Department prepared revised draft wording on a number of specific points. This was forwarded to the Russian Authorities in February 2014. In transmitting these revisions it was suggested that should these revisions be acceptable to the Russian Federation, it would be useful for both sides to meet again for further discussions.
The Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation have advised the Irish Embassy in Moscow that all proposed adoption agreements are currently on hold while the Russian Government considers proposals in relation to how they deal with adoption agreements in general. It is understood that the Russian Federation's Supreme Court recently made recommendations regarding adoption agreements and these are currently being considered by the Russian Government. It is hoped that following the Russian Government's consideration of these matters they will be in a position to examine and respond to the Irish proposals.
878. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there is a cap on the fees that early child care providers can charge parents who qualify for subsidised child care under the community child care subvention scheme and the child care education and training schemes; and if not, if he will provide details on the average weekly cost payable by parents under each scheme. [29866/14]
View answerThe Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme provides funding to community childcare services to enable them to provide quality childcare at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income working parents.
The CCS programme, which provides support for sessional pre-school, full time, part time and after school places, is targeted at disadvantaged or low income families and eligibility is based on means-tested entitlements. In the case of full day care, parents qualifying for the higher rate of subvention under the CCS programme can have up to €95 per week deducted from the overall charge for childcare in the participating childcare facility. Pro-rata reductions are made in respect of the other services provided. The overall charge is based on the total costs incurred by the facility in providing the service and can vary depending on the level of overhead costs involved.
Figures provided in the Early Years Sector Survey 2012 published by Pobal indicate that the average cost of full day care in a community facility is in the region of €160 per week. The survey does point out that the cost in urban settings are at the higher end of the scale.
The implementation of the CCS programme is closely monitored, with each participating service submitting a fees policy document to its local City/County Childcare Committee for approval. This document outlines the factors which make up the overall costs of the service provision and also the cost to the parent after the application of the subvention funding. This helps to ensure that qualifying parents receive the full benefit of the subvention provided.
The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme supports parents who are endeavouring to enter or return to the workforce and who are participating in training or educational courses for this purpose. Under the CETS programme childcare services are contracted to provide childcare places to qualifying Solas or Education and Training Boards trainees or students for the duration of their courses. This programme also provides part time and after school places.
Under the programme €145 per week is provided towards the cost of a full day childcare place and the service is permitted to charge up to a further €25 per week towards the cost of the place. Childcare services providing a part time place under the programme that includes a pick up from primary school receive a weekly payment of €80 with a maximum charge of €15 per week to the parent. The standard after school weekly payment is €45 with a charge of €5 per week to the parent. Pro rata rates apply for parents who receive a reduced level of service.
Two additional support programmes, which were introduced initially under the CETS programme, are also implemented by my Department.
The After-School Child Care (ASCC) programme was introduced in October 2013. This programme provides after-school care for primary school children for certain categories of working parents for a once-off period of 52 weeks. I announced today along with my colleague, Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton, T.D., a number of enhancements to the ASCC programmes which will expand the range of eligibility for the programme and provide a pick up service for primary school children at no additional cost to the parent. The changes announced today reduces the parental contribution from €20 to €15 per week with the programme contributing €40 per week for the after-school care and now providing €105 per week for full day childcare during the holiday period This payment is to provide for holiday periods when the child would need full day care. Pro-rata rate applies for parents who require support over a shorter weekly period.
The Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme was introduced in January 2014. Under the CEC programme €80 per week is provided with a set charge of €15 per week to the parent. This support can be accessed by qualifying parents over a number of years. Today it was also announced that this programme now provides part time care for children up to the age of 13 whose parents are participating in CE programmes. The upper age limit was previously 5 years and the new age limit is part of a number of enhancements to the programmes that I announced today. A further enhancement to the programme includes an after-school option which enables qualifying CE parents of primary school children to obtain after-school care at a weekly cost of €15. The programme contribution for this new option is €40 per week.
