Written Answers Nos. 672-90
672. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of internal audit across her Department; internal audit's relationship with external auditors and audit committees, as well as internal audit's adherence to professional standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32555/15]
View answerMy Department has had an established Internal Audit Unit and an Audit Committee in place since 2004. The Audit Committee is part of the Department's governance framework, tasked with providing independent advice to the Accounting Officer, regarding the suitability and robustness of the organisation’s internal control systems and procedures. The Audit Committee operates under an Audit Committee Charter and has a total of 5 members, 4 are external members and one is a departmental representative. Internal Audit meets with the Audit Committee at least 4 times per year and has full and free access to the Audit Committee and the Accounting Officer as required. The Internal Audit Unit is staffed with qualified Accounting and Audit staff and they report on all audit matters to the Audit Committee. The Internal Audit Unit provide audit services to a number of Justice and Equality statutory bodies.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) is the Department's external auditor. Internal Audit provides copies of minutes of Audit Committee meetings; the Audit Committee Annual Report, and completed audit reports to his office, for information purposes throughout the year. It also tracks the implementation of key issues raised in the C&AG annual audit of the Appropriation Accounts. The Audit Committee meets with the C&AG annually to discuss their audit and other issues of common concern which may arise.
Internal Audit in my Department is guided by the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, determined in November 2012, that these standards should apply across all Departments and other Vote Holders.
An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service and the Property Registration Authority have similar governance structures in place.
673. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the annual cost to her Department of fees paid to private for-profit companies to provide services, such as consultancy work, recruitment services and other outsourced services, for example, cleaning and catering; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32718/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated by my Department. I will contact him when it is to hand.
674. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the annual cost to her Department of fees paid to private for-profit companies to provide public services, for example, waste collection, motorway toll operators, public transport such as Veolia-Luas and private bus companies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32725/15]
View answerMy Department is not involved in the provision of public services of the type cited in the Deputy’s question.
675. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding inclusion and support grants (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30520/15]
View answerVarious practical efforts have been made in recent years by my Department and others, including the HSE, to support mainstreamed pre-school provision for children with special needs. These include: more flexible rules regarding access to the free pre-school year, the provision on a limited ad hoc basis by the HSE of funding towards the cost of pre-school support assistants in some areas, elective modules on special needs in mandatory courses for early years practitioners, and various initiatives by City and County Childcare Committees, HSE/HSE funded services, and by Better Start’s Early Years Specialist Service to support providers who need expert advice and guidance. In addition, the on-going reorganisation of disability therapy services into multi-disciplinary geographic-based teams by the HSE under the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People Programme and the early intervention and support that reconfigured teams provide are of importance in the context of mainstreaming.
Nevertheless, this Government recognises that co-ordination and provision of appropriate pre-school supports for children with special needs could be improved. Accordingly, when I established the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and School Age Care and Education, I included in its terms of reference the need to examine how best to provide for children with special needs within mainstream pre-school settings.
To advance this, the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs, Education and Skills, and Health are working together to develop a new model of pre-school supports for children with special needs. My Department is leading the process, with full and active support from the other two Departments and their respective agencies.
An Inter-Departmental Group comprising representatives from these three Departments, the HSE, Tusla, the National Council for Special Education, the National Disability Authority, Better Start and the Dublin City Childcare Committee has identified a range of pre-school supports for children with additional needs - some of which are similar to the supports outlined by the Early Childhood Ireland 'Footsteps for the Future' report. This Group is now expected to make a cross-departmentally supported proposal for the resources required in time for the Estimates process.
676. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a programme to offer greater out-of-school support (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30556/15]
View answerMy Department administers a number of programmes which provide after-school and out-of-school childcare, including:
The After-School Childcare (ASCC) Programme, which provides after-school childcare for primary school children of eligible parents for a period of 52 weeks. This Programme contributes €40 per week for an after-school place or €80 per week in situations where the childcare service provides a pick-up service that collects the child from school. The Programme also provides a full day care rate of €105 per week, for a maximum of 10 weeks, to cater for school holiday periods. In all cases, the maximum fee payable by parents is €15 per week per child. Eligibility for this Programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection.
The Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme, which is targeted specifically at participants in the Community Employment (CE) schemes operated by the Department of Social Protection. Under this programme, €80 per week is provided for pre-school places for children up to the age of 5 and €40 per week for after-school places for primary school children up to the age of 13, with a set charge of €15 per week to the parent in either case. The programme also provides a part time day care rate of €80 per week, for a maximum of 10 weeks, to cater for school holiday periods. Places are approved for 50 weeks. Eligibility for the CEC programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection.
The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme, which provides childcare places, including part-time and after-school places, to qualifying Solas or Education and Training Boards (ETB) trainees or students for the duration of their courses. Eligibility for the CETS programme is determined by the Department of Education and Skills.
The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which provides funding to community childcare services to enable them to provide quality childcare, including after-school care, at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income working parents.
The recent Report of the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education, which I established earlier this year, sets out a range of options for future investment to enhance affordability, increase the accessibility and improve the quality of early years, after-school and out-of-school childcare, including the development of quality standards for after-school childcare, a capital fund to support the development of after-school childcare services, consultation with children on after-school childcare, and ultimately a subvention system to amalgamate existing Programmes. The options in this Report are being considered as part of the Estimates Process for 2016.
677. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will increase early childhood care and education payments, and promote quality and sustainability (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30561/15]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children, in the age range 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months, before they commence primary school. This Programme, which has an annual cost of over €170 million, benefits in the region of 67,000 children every year.
To deliver the free pre-school year, a standard capitation fee of €62.50 per week per eligible child is currently paid to participating early years services. A higher capitation fee of €73 per week is paid per eligible child to services with more highly qualified staff. This kind of funding mechanism provides the leverage to progressively build the quality of early years provision, while at the same time making childcare more affordable to parents and improving the sustainability of the sector.
Despite the downturn and the difficult budgetary situation, the Government did maintain the pre-school year on a universal and free basis and, importantly, the number of early years services participating in the Programme remained consistent. The funding provided under the ECCE Programme to these services was a guaranteed source of income at that time and ensured that early years services were able to continue to deliver services at a time when the demand for childcare had fallen considerably.
The recent Report of the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education, which I established earlier this year, sets out a range of options for future investment to enhance affordability, increase the accessibility and improve the quality of early years services, including an increase to ECCE capitation payments to services. The options in this Report are being considered as part of the Estimates Process for 2016.
678. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if financial and operational support will be provided for the national family resource centre programme to assist in operations, an adequate evaluation system and the implementation of a national development officer to ensure the continuation of a professional network (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30573/15]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency is providing funding of €13.09m to the Family Resource Centre Programme in 2015, the same level overall as in 2014. There are currently 109 communities supported through the Family and Community Services Resource Centre Programme funded by Tusla.
Tusla values the work of Family Resource Centres and recognises the positive impact of their work in supporting families and local communities. Family Resource Centres provide a holistic service of child, family and community support and advocacy to children and families in their communities.
Family Resource Centres are supported by two Regional Support Agencies, Framework and West Training and Development. These support agencies play a key role in promoting good practice within the programme and providing technical support, advice and training to Family Resource Centres. Going forward Tusla proposes to continue to fund these agencies for these purposes.
Tusla provides funding to the Family Resource Centre National Forum (Forum) to support its activities. The Agency fully appreciates and values the work of the Forum as a support network working with all the Family Resource Centres throughout Ireland. The Forum represents the views of all Family Resource Centres nationally and provides networking and training opportunities, information and practical support for its members.
This Forum is a valuable asset in the overall operation of the programme. It ensures a representative voice at national level and coherence within the programme. In recognition of the valuable contribution the Family Resource Centre National Forum makes to the work of Family Resource Centres, Tusla intends to continue to provide funding to the Forum.
The Agency also fully recognises the need to maintain accurate up-to-date statistics demonstrating the valuable contribution Family Resource Centres make to Tusla’s strategic aims and objectives. To this end, Tusla already has in place a software-based data collection and self-evaluation system entitled SPEAK (Strategic Planning, Evaluation and Knowledge System) available to each Family Resource Centre. A key feature of SPEAK is that it can operate across multiple Family Resource Centres so that the data collected from each Project is collated into a single database.
Increasingly, SPEAK data is being used at programme level to present an overview of what is happening at national level. This data informs quarterly reports that demonstrate the contribution of Family Resource Centres to the overall work of Tusla.
Tusla has advised that it welcomes the many worthwhile proposals that the Deputy has put forward to improve and build on the strengths of the Family Resource Centre Programme in meeting its mandate for community-based early intervention and family support. While all funding available under Tusla’s Family Resource Centre Programme for 2015 has already been fully allocated, Tusla is keen to invest further in the staffing and training needs of Family Resource Centres to enable the Programme to respond to the challenges it anticipates in the future.
679. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the policies Tusla has in place regarding the sharing of information regarding children in care with relatives who are not the child's legal guardian; if these policies are publicly available; and if these policies are standard across the State or vary from region to region. [30945/15]
View answerAs these are operational matters, I have asked Tusla - the Child and Family Agency to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.
680. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which a relative, who is not a child's legal guardian, may establish a bona fide interest in a child in care, other than going to court in order that the relative may receive information regarding the child; and if such a process is not in place, his plans to create a system such that relatives of children in care do not have to resort to court proceedings to establish their bona fides in these cases. [30946/15]
View answerAs these are operational matters, I have asked Tusla - the Child and Family Agency to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.
681. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of funding for child-care services in counties Longford and Westmeath for 2008 to 2014 and to date in 2015, as well as the details-percentages of where the funding was allocated. [31064/15]
View answerFunding of more than a quarter of a billion euro is invested annually by my Department in childcare services with the greater proportion of this funding going to support three national childcare support programmes - the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes (i.e. the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme, the After-School Childcare (ASCC) programme and the Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme). Funding to childcare services is also made available through the annual Early Years Capital Programme.
The following table gives the information requested by the Deputy in relation to funding allocated to childcare services in Longford and Westmeath under these childcare support programmes and the Early Years Capital.
|
- |
Longford |
Westmeath |
|
CCS Programme |
€ |
€ |
|
2011/2012 |
1,196,644.00 |
1,685,734.00 |
|
2012/2013 |
991,500.00 |
1,362,850.00 |
|
2013/2014 |
957,293.32 |
1,334,757.34 |
|
2014/2015 |
817,277.07 |
1,195,781.06 |
|
CETS Programme |
- |
- |
|
2011/2012 |
483,210.00 |
352,015.00 |
|
2012/2013 |
391,780.00 |
376,005.00 |
|
2013/2014 |
383,900.00 |
376,754.00 |
|
2014/2015 |
362,852.00 |
282,124.27 |
|
ASCC Programme |
- |
- |
|
2014/2015 |
33,160.00 |
10,031.00 |
|
CEC Pre-school Programme |
- |
- |
|
2014/2015 |
116,585.00 |
114,802.00 |
|
CEC After-school Programme |
- |
- |
|
2014/2015 |
35,848.00 |
32,540.00 |
|
Capital Funding |
- |
- |
|
2011 |
- |
- |
|
2012 |
121,847.30 |
75,073.00 |
|
2013 |
29,175.00 |
75,034.00 |
|
2014 |
14,287.00 |
90,261.00 |
|
2015 Strand 1 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
2015 Strand2 |
18,222.30 |
39,263.40 |
|
2015 Strand 3 |
34,607.70 |
24,300.00 |
|
2015 Strand 4 |
12,882.00 |
21,958.00 |
|
ECCE Funding |
- |
- |
|
2011/2012 |
1,354,072 |
3,297,279 |
|
2012/2013 |
1,413,459 |
3,202,171 |
|
2013/2014 |
1,376,719 |
3,359,035 |
|
2014/2015 |
1,400,617 |
3,389,409 |
682. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to amend section 45 of the Child Care Act 1991 to make the State obliged to provide the necessary support to foster children and young adults to remain in their foster homes, particularly in those instances where upon turning 18 a young person who has experienced trauma and-or developmental delay is not yet ready to embrace independent living. [31276/15]
View answerAftercare is a term used to describe the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of a young person who is leaving statutory care at 18 years of age, to assist him/her in making the transition to independent living. It is essential that all young people leaving care are provided with the type of transitional support that their individual situation requires. Aftercare is available to all those eligible irrespective of which care sector they have been in, i.e. foster care or residential care.
The Child Care Act 1991 provides that the core eligible age range for aftercare is from 18 years up to 21 years. This can be extended until the completion of a course of education and training in which a young person who has left care, or is leaving care, is engaged, up to the age of 23 years.
Section 45 of the Child Care Act 1991 provides that Tusla - the Child and Family Agency may assist a child leaving its care if it is satisfied that the person has a “need for assistance”. The provisions have been interpreted and applied on the basis that young people who have had a care history with the Agency are entitled to an assessment of need, from which an aftercare plan may be prepared and an aftercare service may be offered (based on the assessed needs).
Current aftercare provision incorporates advice, guidance and practical (including accommodation and financial) support. Advocating on behalf of young people to support their development as fulfilled adults in their community and, when necessary, to link them to targeted adult services, are also crucial elements of an aftercare service. Accordingly, in instances where a young person leaving care has experienced trauma and/or a developmental delay and is not yet ready to embrace independent living, due regard will be given within the aftercare planning process to linkages with appropriate, specialist, adult services.
Between 450 and 500 young people leave care annually upon turning 18. According to Tusla, at the end of March, 2015, there were 1,720 young people aged 18 to 22 years inclusive in receipt of an aftercare service. Of those, 1,012 (59%) were in full time education.
A significant number of these young people are supported financially to remain living with their foster carers, in addition to having access to an aftercare worker. The most vulnerable group of young people are those leaving residential care or short term foster care placements. Children, who come into care late, in their mid to late teens, may not have developed the relationships with staff or aftercare workers that help them achieve good outcomes.
Young people who do not have family support from a foster carer or family base are assisted in finding accommodation in supported lodgings, sheltered housing or independent accommodation and encouraged and supported financially in furthering their training and education.
Furthermore, in respect of my plans to amend Section 45 of the Child Care Act 1991, as the Deputy is aware, it has been decided to strengthen the legislative provisions regarding aftercare. This is in response to concerns that there was insufficient focus in this area and that such planning was not taking place on a properly structured and consistent basis. The approach adopted is to impose a statutory duty on the Child and Family Agency to prepare an aftercare plan for an eligible child or eligible young person. The aim is to create an explicit, as opposed to implicit, statement of the Agency’s duty to satisfy itself as to the child’s or young person’s need for assistance by preparing a plan that identifies those needs for aftercare supports.
It is anticipated that the Aftercare Bill will be published shortly.
683. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide support to the Irish Network of Foster Carers in their efforts to protect vulnerable children (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31354/15]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the pre-legislative scrutiny process is designed to help improve legislation by allowing Oireachtas Committees to discuss the Heads of legislation at an early stage, to consider issues raised by stakeholders, and to prepare a short report for the relevant Minister. While carried out on behalf of the Government Department responsible for the legislation, all such processes are conducted by the relevant Oireachtas Committees independent of the associated Departments.
I have been advised by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children that the general process for pre-legislative scrutiny is that upon receiving the Heads of a Bill, the Committee receives a briefing paper / advice from the independent Library and Research Service, which includes suggestions with regard to the most appropriate approach for stakeholder consultation. The Committee may also wish to invite stakeholders to discussions based on submissions and / or concerns already expressed. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children has assured me that it does not exclude any stakeholder from the consultation process.
Some 93% of children in State care today are cared for in foster homes, many of whom are supported to continue living with their foster parents after reaching 18 years of age. Without doubt, the commitment and dedication demonstrated by foster carers towards the children in their care profoundly impact the lives of those children as they become young adults and embark upon life after care. As such, I recognise that the insights of those caring for them are extremely valuable and insights that I welcome.
With regard to the implementation of the National Leaving and Aftercare Policy, 2011, Tusla – the Child and Family Agency has advised me that the policy, which provides a framework for the delivery of aftercare services nationally, was signed off in April, 2011. An implementation plan was developed outlining key work to be undertaken by Tusla in order to ensure full compliance with the National Leaving and Aftercare Policy. That implementation plan has resulted in the introduction of several new practices, including the establishment of steering groups, the development of dedicated teams, and the standardisation of the aftercare allowance. Tusla continues to review its current policy to reflect new legislative changes. In so doing, Tusla will continue to work in partnership with agencies that represent the views of children in care and foster carers.
Tusla is in the process of establishing full dedicated teams nationally along with operational steering groups in each area. Tusla has also advised that at the end of March, this year, 78% of 18-22 years olds in receipt of an aftercare service had an aftercare plan while 81% had an aftercare worker.
In relation to the issue of homelessness for care leavers, Tusla reports that at the end of March, 2015, the vast majority of 18-22 years olds in receipt of an aftercare service were residing in some form of stable accommodation. In fact, 45% of those care leavers remained living with their foster carers, 23% were living independently, 11% returned home, 4% were living in supported lodgings and 5.5% were living in residential centres. Only a small minority (11.5%) were living in other types of less stable accommodation. While significant progress has already been made, work continues in my Department and Tusla to reduce the risk of vulnerable young care leavers finding themselves homeless or in unstable or unsuitable accommodation.
684. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is considering the introduction of any financial assistance for parents wishing to avail of the increasing number of out-of-hours care provision in primary schools in the upcoming budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31588/15]
View answer708. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps he is taking to assist with the introduction of out-of-hours care services beginning to operate in schools; if he will consider bringing to Cabinet any financial incentives as part of Budget 2016 to further assist working parents with subscribing to such programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31583/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 684 and 708 together.
My Department administers a number of programmes which provide after-school and out-of-school childcare, including:
The After-School Childcare (ASCC) Programme, which provides after-school childcare for primary school children of eligible parents for a period of 52 weeks. This Programme contributes €40 per week for an after-school place or €80 per week in situations where the childcare service provides a pick-up service that collects the child from school. The Programme also provides a full day care rate of €105 per week, for a maximum of 10 weeks, to cater for school holiday periods. In all cases, the maximum fee payable by parents is €15 per week per child. Eligibility for this Programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection.
The Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme, which is targeted specifically at participants in the Community Employment (CE) schemes operated by the Department of Social Protection. Under this programme, €80 per week is provided for pre-school places for children up to the age of 5 and €40 per week for after-school places for primary school children up to the age of 13, with a set charge of €15 per week to the parent in either case. The programme also provides a part time day care rate of €80 per week, for a maximum of 10 weeks, to cater for school holiday periods. Places are approved for 50 weeks. Eligibility for the CEC programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection.
The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme, which provides childcare places, including part-time and after-school places, to qualifying Solas or Education and Training Boards (ETB) trainees or students for the duration of their courses. Eligibility for the CETS programme is determined by the Department of Education and Skills.
The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which provides funding to community childcare services to enable them to provide quality childcare, including after-school care, at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income working parents.
The recent Report of the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education, which I established earlier this year, sets out a range of options for future investment to enhance affordability, increase the accessibility and improve the quality of early years, after-school and out-of-school childcare, including the development of quality standards for after-school childcare, consultation with children on after-school childcare, a subvention system to amalgamate existing Programmes and a capital fund to support the development of after-school childcare on school premises.
The Minister for Education and Skills is supportive of coherent measures that facilitate greater community use of schools while respecting the core role of schools. In relation to use of existing school premises, Minister O'Sullivan is of the view that, in the first instance, the core role of a school in delivering education to its student body has to be paramount and any additional activities have to adhere to that core role. There are also a number of practical issues, such as lease terms, insurance, etc., that need to be properly examined for schools considering additional activities on their premises.
The options in the Report of the Inter-Departmental Group are currently being considered as part of the Estimates Process for 2016.
685. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will support Tusla in its efforts to secure 250 social workers to deal with the backlog of cases of children at risk (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30652/15]
View answerThe Child and Family Agency (Tusla) have advised that there were 1,375.24 whole time equivalent social workers employed at the end of July 2015 and that they are currently recruiting an additional 218 social workers to meet existing vacancies.
Stability, experience and capacity of staff working in the area of child protection and child welfare are extremely important. The Agency is currently examining its workforce and service requirements and the issue of additional resources, including the recruitment of more social workers and other front line staff, will be considered in the context of the estimates process for 2016.
686. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on the interdepartmental group which is working on future investment in early years and school-age care and education services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30655/15]
View answerMy Department currently provides approximately €260 million annually to early years and school-age care and education services. This funding is largely directed towards a number of childcare programmes, which aim to improve the accessibility, affordability and quality of early years and school-age care and education. These programmes support the provision of early years and school-age care and education for more than 100,000 children each year.
To ensure that all the benefits of this (and future) investment are fully realised, it must be evidence-based and strategically coordinated. It is critically important that any investment is designed to achieve the best outcomes for children and their parents. Accordingly, earlier this year, I established an Inter-Departmental Group to set out a range of options for future investment, including options to enhance affordability, options to increase the accessibility of provision and options to build the quality of provision of early years and school age care and education. Membership of the Group included representation from right across Government, including the Departments of Education and Skills, Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Justice and Equality, Social Protection and as well as the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform, Finance and the Taoiseach.
The work of the Group was informed by research and evidence of best practice and by existing policy commitments, including those set out in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People. To inform its work, the Group also solicited the views of key stakeholders, interested parties and the general public through a number of consultative processes, including two separate online consultation processes - one with the early years sector and one with parents and guardians, and an Open Policy Debate, which was hosted by my Department on 31 March 2015 and attended by some 40 invited representatives including parents, providers, academics, childcare committees, and NGOs. It has also held a series of bilateral discussions with relevant Government Departments, including the Departments of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Education and Skills, Finance, Jobs and Innovation, Justice and Equality, Public Expenditure and Reform and Social Protection.
I published the report of the Inter-Departmental Group on 22 July to facilitate a further debate within the sector and among parents generally about the value of and priority that should be attached to the various options for future investment, which were set out in the report. I will have specific proposals to make in the context of the Estimates process for Budget 2016.
687. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a commitment to improve the standard and availability of child-care facilities, the provisions and supports that are available to child-care facilities which are proving to be financially unviable and at risk of imminent closure in areas where there are no alternative child-care facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30656/15]
View answerIn the region of €260 million is provided annually by my Department through community/not-for-profit and private childcare services to support a number of childcare programmes which assist parents in accessing quality and affordable childcare. In the region of 4,300 childcare services are participating in these programmes.
The childcare programmes include the free pre-school year provided under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which provides funding to community childcare services to support disadvantaged or low income families, and a number of programmes that support parents returning to work or availing of education or training opportunities. These programmes include the Childcare Education and Training Supports (CETS) programme providing support to parents availing of training and education courses provided by Solas or the Education Training Board (ETB), the After-School Child Care (ASCC) programme and a Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme supporting qualifying parents who are participating in Community Employment (CE) schemes.
The funding to support these childcare programmes has been maintained despite the difficult budgetary position that has prevailed in recent years.
I recognise the difficulties being faced by childcare providers and parents and I am aware of their concerns in relation to the sustainability of services. I am looking at the question of appropriate supports for childcare in the wider context. The Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education, which I established earlier this year, has set out a range of options for future investment, including options to enhance affordability, options to increase the accessibility of provision and options to build the quality of provision of early years and school-aged childcare.
I published the Report of the Inter-Departmental Group on 22 July to facilitate a further debate within the sector and among parents generally about the value of and priority that should be attached to the various options for future investment, which were set out in the Report. The options in this Report are now being considered as part of the Estimates Process for 2016.
688. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the annual cost to his Department in funding community and commercial childcare services in counties Louth and Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30657/15]
View answerFunding of more than a quarter of a billion euro is invested annually by my Department in childcare services with the greater proportion of this funding going to support three national childcare support programmes – the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes (i.e. the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme, the After-School Childcare (ASCC) programme and the Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme). Funding to childcare services is also made available through the annual Early Years Capital Programme.
The following table gives the information requested by the Deputy in relation to funding allocated to childcare services in Louth and Meath for 2014/15 under these childcare support programmes.
|
- |
Louth |
Louth |
Meath |
Meath |
|
- |
Community |
Private |
Community |
Private |
|
Childcare Education and Training Support Programme |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
2014/2015 |
€65,183 |
€148,396 |
€57,142 |
€226,030 |
|
Community Childcare Subvention Programme* |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
2014/2015 |
€1,054,020 |
- |
€715,082 |
- |
|
After School Childcare Programme |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
2014/2015 |
€7,640 |
€38,912 |
€6,163 |
€54,176 |
|
Community Employment Childcare Preschool Programme |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
2014/2015 |
€109,120 |
€120,608 |
€44,631 |
€33,775 |
|
Community Employment After School Programme |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
2014/2015 |
€19,465 |
€17,138 |
€11,759 |
€18,168 |
Early Childhood Care and Education Programme
|
Date |
Louth |
Meath |
|
2014/2015 |
Community + Private €4,460,218 |
Community + Private €8,194,341 |
Capital Funding
|
- |
Louth |
Louth |
Meath |
Meath |
|
2015 Early Years - Capital Funding |
Community |
Private |
Community |
Private |
|
€96,554 |
€21,046 |
€60,520 |
€63,346 |
* The Community Childcare Subvention Programme is currently provided through community childcare services only.
689. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of applications under the early years capital fund that he has received, by county, and the grant aid sought; the total budget available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30658/15]
View answerFunding totalling €7 million was made available under the Early Years Capital Programme 2015, with €5 million of this funding available for grants specifically for community/not for profit early years services. This funding will provide grant aid, in the region of €500,000, for significant upgrades of community/not-for-profit early years services, such as major refurbishment or relocation to new premises. Also under this strand of funding, grants of up to €50,000 will be available for essential maintenance, or works undertaken to improve the energy performance of early years services. The remaining €2 million in capital funding was made available to both private and community/ not-for-profit early years services to access grants of up to €500 for quality improvement measures, specifically in the area of upgrading IT facilities.
Pobal, who is administering this programme on behalf of my Department, has provided the breakdown of the applications in the following table.
|
County |
No. Applications under all strands |
Total amount requested € |
|
Carlow |
33 |
414,038 |
|
Cavan |
43 |
1,739,771 |
|
Clare |
94 |
116,157 |
|
Cork City |
42 |
707,476 |
|
Cork County |
184 |
1,352,894 |
|
Donegal |
89 |
1,056,645 |
|
Dublin City |
199 |
1,460,711 |
|
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown |
70 |
56,618 |
|
Fingal |
125 |
293,706 |
|
Galway |
135 |
561,066 |
|
Kerry |
78 |
926,779 |
|
Kildare |
143 |
114,001 |
|
Kilkenny |
35 |
290,024 |
|
Laois |
34 |
164,524 |
|
Leitrim |
19 |
249,334 |
|
Limerick |
105 |
989,853 |
|
Longford |
30 |
156,909 |
|
Louth |
59 |
236,405 |
|
Mayo |
47 |
648,819 |
|
Meath |
148 |
141,955 |
|
Monaghan |
43 |
245,630 |
|
Offaly |
46 |
55,314 |
|
Roscommon |
42 |
212,325 |
|
Sligo |
25 |
243,406 |
|
South Dublin |
91 |
1,157,976 |
|
Tipperary North |
45 |
21,089 |
|
Tipperary South |
45 |
118,349 |
|
Waterford |
44 |
243,628 |
|
Westmeath |
48 |
82,995 |
|
Wexford |
44 |
408,533 |
|
Wicklow |
130 |
187,665 |
|
Totals |
2315 |
€14,654,595 |
690. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount his Department currently spends on the provision of child care to school-going and preschool-going children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30659/15]
View answerFunding of more than a quarter of a billion euro is invested annually by my Department in early years services with the greater proportion of this funding going to support three national childcare support programmes – the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes. This funding, which is in addition to the direct support provided to all parents in the form of Child Benefit, supports more than 100,000 children each year. This high level of investment has been maintained despite the difficult budgetary situation that prevailed in recent years.
The funding provided by my Department on early years services in 2015 is allocated as follows:
- €172.4 million to support the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme that provides a free pre-school year to almost 67,000 children each year.
- €45 million to support the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which assists low income and disadvantaged families to access childcare services in community childcare facilities. More than 25,000 children benefit from this programme each year.
- €17 million to support the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme which provides childcare places to qualifying Solas or Education and Training Board (ETB) trainees or students for the duration of their courses.
- €6.5 million to support the Community Employment Childcare programme, which provides 2,000 childcare places for parents engaging in Community Employment programmes.
- €1.6 million to support the After-School Childcare (ASCC) programme that assists parents returning to employment with the cost of after-school childcare.
- €13 million has been provided to support the work of the City and County Childcare Committees and the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations who support the development of childcare services and offer a variety of support to childcare providers, parents and staff working in the childcare sector.
- €7 million has been made available under the Early Years Capital Programme 2015 with €5 million of this funding available for grants specifically for community/not-for-profit services. This funding will provide grants for significant upgrades of community childcare facilities and also for essential refurbishment and relocation to new premises.
Funding has also been provided to support quality development and upskilling of the early years sector and to administer the various programmes.
