Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
698. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost of paying the overhead contribution for 2021 at the rate of payment made during 2020 and at an increased rate of 20%. [18659/20]
View answerIn order to support the sustainability of the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Sector during COVID-19, my Department launched the Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS). The TWSCS provided funding towards a portion of childcare staff wages to ensure that they were retained by their employer. The TWSCS also provided a contribution towards overhead costs.
The TWSCS operated from 6 April 2020 for a period of 12 weeks and over the course of this period €19.2m was allocated to childcare services to assist specifically with overhead costs. This payment was allocated to the 3,900 childcare services that signed up to and submitted applications to the TWSCS.
Applying the 12 week payment to a full year would amount to a total estimated cost of €83.2m. The estimated full year cost of an increased rate of 20% would be €99.8m.
