Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 October 2015
90. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the €16 million cost of 800 low-cost child care places announced in budget 2016 is a full-year cost estimate; how this cost was estimated by this Department; and if there is an expectation that all of these places will be filled in September 2016. [36696/15]
View answer91. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if all private providers will be eligible to provide low-cost child care places under the changes announced to the community child care scheme in budget 2016, or only providers in areas with a low coverage of community providers; if the latter, how areas with low coverage will be identified; and if his Department considers the capitation rates, higher and lower, currently provided under the scheme will be sufficient for low-income parents to afford a full, part or sessional care place with a private provider. [36723/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together.
Budget 2016 provides for an additional 8,000 childcare places under the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme which provides affordable childcare for low income families.
Based on current take up and expenditure, it is estimated that the additional €16 million in funding will provide for a further 3,200 full-time equivalent childcare places or about 8,000 children each year. There are no plans to increase the subvention levels that currently apply under the programme.
These new childcare places will be available through private as well as community/not-for-profit childcare providers for the first time. The places will be targeted at private providers in areas with identified need and where no community/not-for-profit providers are available. My Department will be working closely with the local City and County Childcare Committees and Pobal to identify areas of need and it is hoped to have as many as possible of these places available by September 2016.
The CCS programme has been closed to expansion over recent years - no new services could enter the programme, and existing providers could not expand their services. This restriction was recently lifted, providing for up to 5,000 additional CCS places (or 2,000 full-time equivalent places) in 2015. I have been able to release these places with savings achieved in 2015.
Together, these additional 13,000 childcare places delivered through the CCS programme will help keep Ireland's recovery going, helping to bring its benefit to more households.
