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Childcare Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 July 2020

Tuesday, 21 July 2020

Questions (547, 554)

Neale Richmond

Question:

547. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the supports considered to allow crèches to care for children under one in view of the fact many are refusing to take them as they require extra staffing which leaves parents returning to the workplace without childcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16867/20]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

554. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the fact little or no childcare is now available for children under one year of age; and if he will assist parents still unable to get childcare in order to return from parental leave. [17236/20]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 547 and 554 together.

On 10 June 2020, my Department announced a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services over the summer months. A further package is being examined to cover the period from 24 August onwards. This substantial investment recognises the important role that the ELC and SAC sector plays in the societal and economic infrastructure of the country.

The new €75m funding package contains four significant elements:

- A once-off Reopening Support Payment (RSP) for providers funded by my Department that are opening between 29 June and early September.

- A once-off COVID-19 capital grant for providers funded by my Department that are opening between 29 June and early September.

- Continued access for eligible providers to the Revenue-operated Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS)

- Resumption of my Department's ELC and SAC funding programmes.

In developing the above funding package, the Department recognised that a reduced number of children were likely to attend ELC and SAC services in the initial weeks of reopening. This funding package was tailored to allow providers to operate with less parental income and to assist in meeting the costs associated with complying with public health requirements.

Expert guidance on the safe reopening of childcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was published by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on Friday, 29 May. The guidance recommends use of a “play pod” model which restricts interactions between closed groups of children and adults as an alternative to social distancing, on the basis that social distancing is not possible between young children. Based on advice provided by the HPSC, the Regulations in relation to the adult-child ratios and the floor-space requirements for ELC or SAC services have not been amended as such changes are unnecessary where "play pods" are in use. Therefore additional staff are not required to meet adult child ratios for any age group.

While some settings may reduce capacity depending on their layout, there are no required capacity reductions, and most services should be able to comply with the public health advice with no or little reduction in capacity. In addition, the use of play-pods and the fact that the Regulations in relation to the adult-child ratios and floor-space requirements have not changed mean that the costs of compliance with public health requirements have been kept to a minimum.

By 17 July, of 1,800 ELC and SAC services open last summer, approximately 1,400 services had registered at least one child on a funding scheme run by my Department. As not all children access places supported through these schemes, and as providers can continue to register children on schemes over the coming days and weeks, this indicates a very high level of reopening.

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