Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2016
646. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is aware of the community child care facilities in County Clare that closed without notice in February 2016; the compensation measures she has put in place to assist children who have now missed out on their early childhood care and education scheme year as a result; and the status in this regard. [15985/16]
View answerMy Department implements a number of childcare support programmes including the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes. Pobal works closely with this Department in implementing these programmes and undertakes a compliance process to verify, through on-site visits, that the conditions of the various programmes are being complied with. Pobal also carries out audits at the request of the Department.
Following an audit of the West Clare Early Years (WCEY) Group, Pobal submitted a report to West Clare Early Years (WCEY) in November 2015. This report identified major governance issues and the need for repayment of over-claimed childcare funding. The Board of WCEY accepted the findings of the report and, at a meeting with Pobal on February 10th, agreed to prepare an action plan to resolve the situation. However, the Board of WCEY subsequently took a decision on February 13th to liquidate the company and to close the childcare services under its management with immediate effect. Neither the Department nor Pobal were consulted about the decision to liquidate.
Since that time, Pobal and Clare County Childcare Committee have been working intensively on behalf of my Department to implement sustainable solutions that will restore childcare provision in West Clare. As a result of this collaborative engagement, the majority of these services have now re-opened. Details surrounding the re-opening of services are as follows:
- Kilmihill Community Development School - opened 14 March 2016 with ECCE and CCS children in attendance and they have received payments in respect of both programmes.
- Kildysart Kidz - opened 4 April 2016 and they have received payment is respect of ECCE, CEC and CCS programmes.
- Lissycasey Laugh and Learn - opened 12 April 2016 and they have received payments in respect of ECCE and CCS programmes.
- Cairde Beaga Kilrush/ Cairde Beaga Kilkee (Both under Clare Local Development Company - CLDC) - Opened 13 June 2016. ECCE, CCS and TEC contracts for CLDC have been activated.
It has been agreed that services may extend their ECCE provision so that all children may avail of their full entitlement for the 2015/2016 year (i.e. 183 days).
In addition, an addendum to the Clare County Childcare Committee contract, for intensive support work with the West Clare services, was agreed to ensure services had the appropriate level of assistance during the early stages of service restoration.
