Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2019
65. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a fund will be re-established to assist childcare facilities in meeting fire and other safety criteria; if a fire safety audit of all premises in which there are childcare facilities will be conducted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43278/19]
View answerIn 2019 I allocated €330,000 of capital funding to aid community/not for profit early learning and care services to address fire safety issues that were highlighted in inspection reports. I am currently planning the capital offering for 2020, and I will look carefully at this area again, taking account of the likely demand for fire and other safety measures.
A key priority for me as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is to support the early learning and care and school age childcare sector through the provision of capital funding, where it is most needed. The suitability and safety of premises for use as care and learning settings is a key concern in this regard.
Registration of Early Learning and Care settings is granted where Tusla is satisfied that the premises, operation and location of the setting poses no unmanaged risk to children. All registration applications are subject to services being compliant with fire and planning requirements.
In recent years, capital funding has been made available for the maintenance and improvement of community / not for profit services. This funding is made available in order to protect previous State investment where it exists. Funding has also assisted not-for-profit services which may lack the financial capacity to invest funding into maintenance or improvement works.
Capital strands are designed to achieve the strategic priorities for the year as determined by my Department, having regard to the funding available. They annual capital scheme is developed using analysis of the current factors within the childcare sector, learnings from previous capital programmes and feedback and input from stakeholders, including childcare providers and Pobal.
I will look carefully at fire safety and related needs for 2020 when developing the capital offering, and my Department will notify providers as soon as possible.
In relation to fire safety audits, fire safety legislation and compliance with it comes under the remit of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. The Tusla Early Years Inspectorate liaises with Local Authority fire services where appropriate.
