Jonathan O'Brien
Question:917. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of reinstating core funding to the Rape Crisis Network Ireland. [12921/16]
View answerRape Crisis Network Funding
Questions (917)
Written answers
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, whether in the context of the family or otherwise.
In 2015, Tusla made a decision not to renew funding for Rape Crisis Network Ireland. Tusla had previously provided funding of €184,000 to the Rape Crisis Network in 2014.
The funding provided to Rape Crisis Network Ireland by Tusla up to 2014 included provision for the maintenance and development of a database, incorporating data gathered and recorded by rape crisis centres dealing with the survivors of sexual abuse. Tusla was concerned that the database was not representative of all Rape Crisis Centres and because of difficulties experienced by Tusla in accessing data for routine reporting and service planning purposes, funding was not renewed.
Both the Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) and the EU Victim’s Directive set out clear obligations on parties/Member States to collect data for reporting purposes. Also, the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence published by Cosc - The National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (Department of Justice and Equality) - sets out expectations of core data to be collected by all agencies under the strategy. In the context of Tusla’s statutory obligations to both adults and children, it is important that the Agency has fully functional information systems that satisfy its evolving needs.
Tusla, as the statutory body with responsibility for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, made a decision to develop its own comprehensive dataset for these services and Tusla has now commenced work on the development of this dataset.
As part of revised governance arrangements, funded sexual violence services will provide information directly to Tusla, creating, for the first time, a comprehensive dataset on all such services funded by the Agency. This information and evidence is critically important as Tusla continues to reform services to ensure the best possible response is provided to survivors of domestic, sexual and gender based violence.
Domestic Violence Services Funding
Questions (918)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:918. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of increasing anti-domestic violence services so they can meet demand and ensure Ireland meets international standards for refuge provision. [12570/16]
View answerWritten answers
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise. A network of 60 organisations provide services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence in Ireland, including 20 services providing emergency refuge accommodation to women and children and 24 community-based domestic violence services.
The Agency has in place a dedicated national budget of €20.6m in 2016 for these services.
Current provision of refuge spaces nationally includes 145 family units, which include 428 spaces for children. Using the methodology for calculating refuge spaces set out by the Council of Europe, the number of available family places nationally is approximately one space per 9,000 adult women, which is within recommended minimum standards for countries where integrated community based responses to domestic violence are in place.
Ireland has recently signed the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention). As the agency with statutory responsibility for care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence, Tusla will work collaboratively with service provider organisations, statutory agencies and other stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of objectives of the Convention.
Tusla recognises that there are challenges to be addressed in ensuring that there is an appropriate configuration of spaces available to all women and children who require emergency accommodation and that those with greatest needs for safe accommodation are prioritised appropriately.
The current housing shortage and homeless situation puts particular pressure on emergency refuge services which face challenges in supporting their service users in finding appropriate move-on accommodation when safety issues have been addressed.
A range of integrated supports are required in order to reduce the need for women and families to use emergency accommodation and to ensure that families disrupted by domestic violence can be supported to resume normal and safe family living beyond refuge-type accommodation, within the shortest possible timeframe.
At all times the Agency’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims and survivors of domestic, sexual and gender based violence are being met in the best way possible and to address issues of equity in access to and outcomes from services.
Tusla has been provided with additional funding of €200,000 in 2016, which it requested, to begin the process of implementation of the Convention. Tusla expects eight additional units of emergency accommodation to become available in the greater Dublin area in 2016.
Domestic Violence Services Funding
Questions (919)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:919. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of increasing Womens Aid to fund the extension of the national freephone helpline to become a 24 hour, seven day a week service. [12571/16]
View answerWritten answers
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence. The Agency’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of survivors are met in the best way possible. Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services have been developed as a specialist national service with a single line of accountability and a dedicated national budget of €20.6m in 2016.
Ireland has recently signed the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention). Tusla has been provided with additional funding of €200,000 in 2016, which it requested, to begin the process of implementation of the Convention. As the agency with statutory responsibility for care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence, Tusla will work collaboratively with service provider organisations, statutory agencies and other stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of objectives of the Convention.
Under the Istanbul Convention, there is an obligation to have dedicated, free 24 hour national helplines in place for contact around issues of domestic and sexual violence.
Women's Aid receives a significant level of State funding. In 2016, Tusla has allocated funding of €600,000 to Women’s Aid. Tusla is currently engaged with Women’s Aid around service and funding arrangements for 2016, including provision of its helpline services to support the availability of a co-ordinated, accessible national helpline service that can provide both initial contact points and facilitate integrated responses to victims of domestic violence wherever they are in the country.
Tusla recognises the valuable work of Women’s Aid and other organisations providing services in the area of domestic and sexual violence and is committed to the development of these services in line with its statutory remit.
At all times Tusla’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic and sexual violence, are being met in the best way possible, with a focus on addressing inequalities in access to services and assuring availability of consistent and high quality services.
Adoption Legislation
Questions (920)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:920. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the information and tracing Bill, or a Bill of a similar nature, will be presented to Dáil Éireann; if he considered amalgamating this into the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12626/16]
View answerWritten answers
The primary purpose of the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016 is to amend the Adoption Act 2010 to give legislative effect to the 31st Amendment to the Constitution (Children) Act 2012 which was signed into law on 28th April 2015. However since the Referendum there have been other legislative enactments, in particular the Child and Family Relationships Act 2015, which required the amendments to the Adoption Act 2010, that are included in the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016. The Government also decided to include provisions in the Bill for the adoption of a child by his or her step parent without the requirement for the child’s other parent to adopt his or her own child.
The Government approved drafting of the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill in December 2015. This Bill is intended to facilitate access to adoption information and operates on the basis of a presumption in favour of disclosing information in so far as is legally and constitutionally possible for both domestic and inter-country adoptions. The Bill was always envisaged as a stand-alone piece of legislation, to address the complex issues of retrospective and future adoptions. Drafting of the Adoption (Information and Tracing Bill) is underway and I am committed to progressing the Bill and to publish it as soon as possible this year.
Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund
Questions (921)
Jim O'Callaghan
Question:921. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding his Department provided under the young people’s facilities and services fund in each of the years 2008 to 2016 to date in tabular form. [12690/16]
View answerWritten answers
My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2016, funding of €51m has been provided to my Department for these schemes.
From within this budget, my Department provides funding to projects under the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund. Some 230 projects are supported by the Fund and provide a range of supports including targeted drug prevention and awareness programmes, educational supports, after-school and homework clubs, social and personal development, Summer programmes and recreational activity.
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs was established in 2011. I wish to advise the Deputy that funding provided under the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund in each of the years 2008 to 2016 is contained in the following table:
|
Year |
Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund 1 |
Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund 2 |
|
2008 |
€8.51m |
€15.95m |
|
2009 |
€8.63m |
€17.36m |
|
2010 |
€7.86m |
€17.41m |
|
2011 |
€7.19m |
€15.56m |
|
2012 |
€6.73m |
€14.61m |
|
2013 |
€5.86m |
€13.11m |
|
2014 |
€5.68m |
€12.71m |
|
2015 |
€5.68m |
€12.71m |
|
2016 |
€5.83m |
€13.03m |
Foster Care
Questions (922)
Mattie McGrath
Question:922. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to meet with persons (details supplied) who have concerns about the treatment they received in respect of foster arrangements made by Tusla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12743/16]
View answerWritten answers
I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this issue but as the Deputy can appreciate, I cannot intervene in individual cases.
The Child and Family Agency, Tusla, holds the statutory responsibility for all child welfare and protection services. In setting up the Agency, a statutory mechanism for complaints was included in the legislation. This is being delivered by Tusla under their complaints procedure, "Your Service Your Say". In addition, concerns on behalf of the child in question can be referred to the Ombudsman for Children. The Office of the Ombudsman also investigates complaints made in relation to public services.
Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries
Questions (923)
Joan Burton
Question:923. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to extend the terms of reference of the mother and babies homes commission to cover all State linked institutions, in particular St Patrick’s Guild and St Rita’s private nursing home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12756/16]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware, the central focus of the Commission of Investigation established by S.I. No.57 of 2015 was intended to be on mothers and children accommodated in Homes for the purposes of extended ante- and post-natal maternity and infant care services. On that basis it would not have been appropriate to consider the institutions raised by the Deputy as Mother and Baby Homes, as they did not provide the specific range of services referred to above.
However, in accordance with Article 1(VII) of their Terms of Reference, the Commission is directed to investigate the exit pathways of children from the specified institutions listed in Appendix 1 of the relevant S.I. and to examine the extent to which other institutions were part of the entry or exit pathways for single mothers and children into or out of these Homes. It is certainly open to the Commission to give consideration to the types of institutions raised by the Deputy in this context. It should also be noted that the issues to be examined by the Social History Module described in Article 11 (I) of the Terms of Reference explicitly cite adoption societies in this regard.
It is also notable that mechanisms within the terms of reference were specifically included to take advantage of the investigative powers, resources and expertise of the Commission to ensure that any additional matters which the Commission may deem to warrant investigation can be brought to the attention of Government. This is not limited to matters within the direct scope of its investigations, but may also include issues which it considers to warrant further investigation in the public interest.
I am satisfied that this independent Commission has sufficient scope to examine a broad range of concerns, and to make a determination on their relevance to the central issues in question, and where appropriate to make any recommendations to me which the Commission deems necessary.
Departmental Advertising Expenditure
Questions (924)
Eoin Ó Broin
Question:924. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of money spent by her Department on media advertising from March 2011 to February 2016, showing the media organisation, newspaper, radio, television, or any other forms of media to which advertisement fees were paid by her Department; and the amount of money paid per year to each individual media organisation in tabular form. [12881/16]
View answerWritten answers
My Department was established on 2 June, 2011.
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs website is the primary resource in providing information for use by the public and an essential communications tool for my Department.
My Department occasionally uses free tools e.g. Twitter and YouTube, to communicate with the public.
On occasion, my Department may provide public information through other media e.g. electronic, broadcast and print media where a requirement for alternative platforms of information is required.
With regard to media advertising my Department does not directly deal with media as referred to in the Question and as required uses advertising agencies. My Department has also paid the Public Appointments Service for that body placing advertisements with regards to the recruitment of staff to the Department.
|
Spending on Media Advertising |
||
|
Year |
€ |
Payment To |
|
2011 |
0 |
No Spend on Media Advertising |
|
2012 |
€247,515.95 |
Brindley Advertising (Advertising related to the Childrens Referendum) |
|
2013 |
€6279.15 |
FCR Media (Placing of Department’s details in State Directory, Golden Pages (books & website) and Eircom phone directories) |
|
€3769.09 |
Public Appointments Service |
|
|
2014 |
€6279.15 |
FCR Media (Placing of Department’s details in State Directory, Golden Pages (books & website) and Eircom phone directories) |
|
€6285.28 |
Public Appointments Service |
|
|
2015 |
€ 29,907.61 |
Mediavest (Print media advertising campaign re Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
|
€6279.15 |
FCR Media (Placing of Department’s details in State Directory, Golden Pages (books & website) and Eircom phone directories) |
|
|
€ 30,529.83 |
Publicis Engage Ltd (Public radio advertisement campaign re Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
|
|
2016 (Jan/Feb) |
0 |
No Spend on Media Advertising |
Domestic Violence Services Funding
Questions (925)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:925. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to ring-fence domestic and sexual violence funds within Tusla. [12922/16]
View answerWritten answers
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise. At all times, Tusla’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic and sexual violence are being met in the best way possible.
A network of 60 organisations provide services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence in Ireland, including 20 services providing emergency refuge accommodation to women and children, 24 community-based domestic violence services and 16 Rape Crisis Centres providing services to victims of sexual violence.
The Agency has established a more co-ordinated approach for provision of these services with a dedicated national budget of €20.6m in 2016. This includes an additional €200,000 to support implementation of obligations under the Istanbul Convention.
In 2015, particular priority was given to protecting frontline services, and in that context, funding for services for victims of domestic and sexual violence survivors was protected. Continuing with this commitment, in 2016, funding to domestic violence services has been protected at the same level as 2015 overall, with some additional provision for emergency accommodation in the greater Dublin area for an extra eight family units of emergency accommodation and also enhanced access to community based outreach services for victims. Similarly, in 2016, funding for the 16 Rape Crisis Centres has also been protected at 2015 levels.
I would like to assure the Deputy that Tusla will continue to support the provision of services for victims of domestic and sexual violence. Tusla is committed to addressing identified gaps in service provision, eliminating duplication where it exists and ensuring the provision of a more equitable service. Developing stronger, more effective and responsive services will continue to be a key priority for me as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
Tusla will continue to consider the needs of those who experience domestic violence and sexual violence as part of its planning processes, in order to ensure that appropriate responses are in place and that resources are used to achieve the best outcomes for individuals, children and families.
Child and Family Agency
Questions (926)
Mattie McGrath
Question:926. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there are sufficiently robust appeal measures to protect parents and guardians from actions taken by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency; details of the measures; her views on the ability of Tusla to investigate its own actions where complaints have been made which are reasonable or warranted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13178/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Child and Family Agency Act 2013 which established the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, sets out a clear process for complaints regarding any aspect of its service. Tusla complaints procedures are set out in Part Nine of the Act. In the first instance, it is sought to resolve complaints locally where, for example, the parent and social worker seek to resolve the issue. Complaints officers investigate complaints as appropriate and reviewers re-examine cases where the service users do not accept the findings of the complaints officers.
In addition, appeals procedures apply to decisions taken by foster care committees and decisions to place children on the Child Protection Notification System. The current policy and procedure for the management of consumer feedback including complaints is Your Service Your Say and a bespoke complaints policy is in development.
The Ombudsman for Children can investigate complaints made against Tusla by a child, or on behalf of a child, as well as initiating its own investigations where the Ombudsman considers it appropriate. Complaints can also be made directly to the Office of the Ombudsman which investigates complaints regarding services delivered by public bodies.
While HIQA cannot investigate individual complaints, information received by HIQA can trigger an inspection of a service. Information can be sent to HIQA regarding child welfare and protection services, statutory and private fostering services and children's residential services. CORU regulates health and social care professionals and deals with registration and complaints regarding social workers.
Child and Family Agency Funding
Questions (927)
Mattie McGrath
Question:927. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total budgetary allocation Tusla received from her Department in the past four years; the names of all organisations/bodies/institutions and so on which are assisting Tusla with funding or have assisted Tusla with funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13179/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Child and Family Agency, Tusla was established with effect from 1st January, 2014. The funding provisions to Tusla by my Department to support its operational activities are set out in the following table:
|
Year |
Current |
Capital |
Total Provision |
|
2014 |
€614 million |
€5 million |
€619 million |
|
2015 |
€656 million |
€7 million |
€663 million |
|
2016 |
€662 million |
€16 million |
€678 million |
Tusla has confirmed that the following amounts of funding have also been received from other funding sources:
|
Year |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 (Forecast) |
|
Atlantic Philanthropies |
Nil |
€1.085 million |
€2.634 million |
|
Health Services Executive |
Nil |
€0.318 million |
0 |
Children's Rights Referendum
Questions (928)
Mattie McGrath
Question:928. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to address concerns that the outcome of the children's referendum has led to an increasing lack of accountability for organisations such as Tusla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13180/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Thirty-First amendment of the Constitution relating to the rights of children does not in any way provide for a lessening of accountability for organisations. I am not aware that there is evidence of any adverse effect on governance and accountability generally. In the case of Tusla, its interventions are in the common good for the welfare and protection of children. As with any statutory body, Tusla has been established under legislation that is subject to the provisions of the Constitution and review by the courts.
Tusla was established under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. The establishment legislation includes detailed provisions with regard to the accountability obligations of the Agency. Tusla is also required to operate in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. My Department closely monitors compliance by Tusla with these obligations. It should be noted that most children received into care are there on the basis of a court order under the provisions of the Child Care Act, 1991. This position has not changed with the passing of the Referendum. The legislation setting up Tusla, together with the Child Care Act, 1991 (as amended), and related child care regulations and standards have children at their centre. This legislative framework is also respectful of the rights of all citizens as they are framed in the light of the Constitution. The 31st amendment of the Constitution does not in any way dilute these safeguards.
Child Protection Services Provision
Questions (929, 930)
Anne Rabbitte
Question:929. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has any concerns about reports from practitioners of long waiting periods for section 20 reports requested by District Courts and carried out by Tusla; and further to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 305 of 19 January 2016, if the information is available. [13203/16]
View answerAnne Rabbitte
Question:930. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason for the closure of the central section 20 office that previously covered the Dublin and mid-Leinster region. [13204/16]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 929 and 930 together.
Under section 20 of the Child Care Act 1991, a Court may, of its own volition or on the application of any person, adjourn proceedings and direct the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, to undertake an investigation of the child's circumstances where there is concern for the safety, care, health or welfare of a child involved in the proceedings. The subsequent report to the court will advise and give reasons if an application for a care or supervision order is being recommended, as well as an indication of what other services the child may need from Tusla.
Tusla has advised that the Central Section 20 Office referred to by the Deputy was established in the 1990’s under the former Eastern Health Board to provide reports for the court in relation to custody and access cases. Initially, there were 6 staff assigned to the team and over the years this number reduced due to the non filling of vacancies. In mid 2015, the decision was made to disband the Section 20 Office. At that time staffing consisted of 0.6 Social Work Team Leader and 0.8 Social Worker posts. Tusla does not now have dedicated Section 20 departments or teams.
I can confirm that all section 20 requests go to the local areas and are allocated according to the principles of caseload management. The additional funding of €38 million which the Government has allocated to Tusla for 2016, will give the Agency greater capacity to respond to identified demand and to alleviate pressures being faced in specific areas.
The following table contains the information available to 23rd March 2016, which I understand was issued shortly after this in reply to the earlier parliamentary question.
|
Area |
Year |
No. of reports requested by the Courts |
|
2013 |
2 |
|
|
2014 |
12 |
|
|
Kerry |
2015 |
10 |
|
2013 |
24 |
|
|
2014 |
21 |
|
|
Cork |
2015 |
18 |
|
2013 |
18 |
|
|
2014 |
15 |
|
|
Waterford/Wexford |
2015 |
19 |
|
2013 |
Not available |
|
|
2014 |
56 |
|
|
Carlow/ Kilkenny/ South Tipperary |
2015 |
37 |
|
2013 |
7 |
|
|
2014 |
5 |
|
|
Dublin North City |
2015 |
7 |
|
2013 |
3 |
|
|
2014 |
5 |
|
|
North Dublin |
2015 |
11 |
|
2013 |
6 |
|
|
2014 |
3 |
|
|
Cavan/ Monaghan |
2015 |
16 |
|
2013 |
Not available |
|
|
2014 |
Not available |
|
|
Louth/ Meath |
2015 |
[April '15 to March '16] 17 |
|
2013 |
93 |
|
|
2014 |
131 |
|
|
Mid-West |
2015 |
112 |
|
2013 |
2 |
|
|
2014 |
5 |
|
|
Sligo/ Leitrim/ West Cavan |
2015 |
3 |
|
2013 |
8 |
|
|
2014 |
29 |
|
|
Donegal |
2015 |
16 |
|
2013 |
35 |
|
|
2014 |
31 |
|
|
Galway/ Roscommon |
2015 |
26 |
|
2013 |
10 |
|
|
2014 |
20 |
|
|
Mayo |
2015 |
15 |
|
2013 |
3 |
|
|
2014 |
4 |
|
|
Dublin South Central |
2015 |
3 |
|
2013 |
10 |
|
|
2014 |
7 |
|
|
Dublin South West/ Kildare/ West Wicklow |
2015 |
12 |
|
2013 |
4 |
|
|
2014 |
5 |
|
|
Dublin South East/ Wicklow |
2015 |
1 |
|
2013 |
[Oct to Dec 2013] 10 |
|
|
2014 |
33 |
|
|
Midlands |
2015 |
25 |
Note: The data above for Dublin South Central, Dublin South West/Kildare/ West Wicklow and Dublin South East/Wicklow is partial and refers only to those reports completed by the Central Section 20 Office which was disbanded in October 2015.
Early Childhood Care and Education
Questions (931)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:931. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her position with regard to communities where there is inadequate provision of child care facilities, which restricts families in making use of the early childhood care and education year; if there is any responsibility for Tusla, local authorities or any other statutory bodies to ensure such child care facilities are available, or any other manner in which the early childhood care and education year can be accessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13245/16]
View answerWritten answers
Approximately 96% of pre-school children have accessed the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme over the last number of years demonstrating good supply across the country. ECCE can be delivered through formal childcare settings, but also in some instances, by registered childminders. In Budget 2016, my Department announced a significant expansion to pre-school provision under the ECCE programme. This expansion will see the number of children benefitting from the Programme rise from around 67,000 to around 127,000 in a given programme year.
My Department funds 30 City and County Childcare Committees (CCC) around the country. The CCC staff support parents to access appropriate childcare and they also support providers to deliver and develop their service. Pobal also assists my Department and the CCCs to identify any issues with supply and demand.
In response to the expansion of ECCE announced in Budget 2016, and to support the development of capacity in the sector, my Department has initiated a number of actions. The Department made detailed information available to the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) at the beginning of this year indicating the number of children, by every electoral division across the country, who would be eligible for an ECCE place in September 2016, January 2017 and April 2017. My Department continues to work closely with the City and County Childcare Committees to match this data against reported capacity in the sector to meet the increase in demand. My Department is working with them on the development of action plans for areas where a shortfall in supply has been identified. Although Tusla, local authorities and other statutory bodies have no specific remit in relation to the supply of ECCE places, my Department will liaise with any bodies who have a role in facilitating the provision of childcare capacity as required.
My Department also announced the introduction of an Early Years Capital Programme earlier this year with total funding of €4 million available. This funding was targeted at early years pre-school providers that are making alterations to their services to accommodate increased numbers of children. The maximum grant available under this programme is €10,000. The closing date for applications was 8 April, 2016 and I hope to announce the successful applicants in the coming weeks.
Beyond the ECCE programme, my Department has taken measures to ensure grater access to the Community Childcare Subsidy (CCS) for eligible families. Whilst traditionally this subvention was only available through Community (Not for Profit) Childcare facilities, it has now been extended so that private childcare facilities can access it and pass the subvention onto eligible families.
If the Deputy is aware of capacity issues in a particular area, I would welcome receiving this information from him to pass to my officials.