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Child Care Services Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018

Tuesday, 24 July 2018

Questions (2355)

Brendan Smith

Question:

2355. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to increase the level of childcare subvention and universal subsidy payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35121/18]

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Written answers

From September 2018, the ECCE capitation rates will increase by 7%. The increase in capitation is targeted at increasing the quality of care and education provided through ECCE and, in particular, supporting the recruitment and retention of high quality staff. The increased capitation will contribute to the enhancement of the three hour ECCE provision accessed by children.

Further, in recent years, I have undertaken to secure investment in key childcare areas, focusing investment at each stage on different elements of early years care and education. The new measures announced in Budget 2018 form part of a trend in continued growth in early years investment; in Budget 2017 I secured a 35% increase in childcare funding, with a similar 35% increase in Budget 2016.

The increase in supports I announced in April 2017 for the 2017/2018 programme year represented a major step towards accessible affordable quality childcare after decades of neglect and under-investment by successive Governments. These increases reflect my ambition to support quality childcare services with appropriately supported staff.

These increases were considerable, up to 50% in the targeted subsidies, which significantly decreases the amount of payment required of low income families or parents in education or training. I also introduced a universal subsidy worth up to €1,040 per year, this subsidy targeted children not yet in the free pre-school year.

These changes are key towards our goal to deliver genuine affordable, accessible, quality childcare.

My Department is also progressing with the wider Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS) Project. This requires robust IT systems and an appropriate legal and legislative grounding. We must ensure that the new system is fit for purpose for years to come.

The increase in the targeted subsidies as part of the "September Measures" in September 2017 are with the intention to come in line with the funding levels expected of the new ACS. As this scheme is still in the development phase, subsidy rates for all targeted childcare programmes will remain at the same level for the upcoming 2018/2019 programme year and there are no further plans to increase these subsidies before the ACS is finalised and launched.

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