Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2020
596. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if funding will be made available to a group (details supplied) to enable it to continue to provide the service while making a move to temporary accommodation and to a permanent location; the actions taken to date to support the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14244/20]
View answerOn 10 June 2020, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs announced a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) services.
A key policy priority for the DCYA is the sustainability of the ELC and SAC sector and hence it has and continues to work intensively to support services to re-open after COVID-19. The reopening funding aims to support providers to reopen, staff to remain in the sector, parents to resume work, and children to benefit from quality ELC and SAC.
The new funding package contains four significant elements:
1. A once-off reopening support payment for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September.
2. A once-off COVID-19 capital grant for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September.
3. Continued access for eligible providers to the Revenue-operated Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS)
4. Resumption of DCYA ELC and SAC programmes. NCS, CCSP and TEC will be available again for children attending ELC and SAC services from 29 June.
It is hoped that this funding package will act as a significant sustainability measure for ELC and SAC service providers anticipating to reopen from 29 June.
However, a number of supports were available before the COVID-19 pandemic to improve the sustainability of services during normal times, and these remain available now. The Department oversees a Case Management process through which local CCCs and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to early learning and care services. This can include help with completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios, fee setting and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances. Financial supports, which are also accessed through Case Management, are available for community services presenting with sustainability issues following a financial assessment by Pobal. Pobal co-ordinate the overall case management process with the CCC administering initial, and on-going, case management assistance. All services who require support should contact their local CCC in the first instance.
I understand that the service in question has already done so and is currently exploring solutions with their local CCC and Pobal Case Management. Pobal is currently carrying out the necessary assessment, and a request for additional support will be considered by my Department once this is completed.
