Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
1135. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans to compensate parents who have to pay for childcare but cannot avail of childcare due to positive antigen or PCR tests or childcare providers have closed due to same. [2652/22]
View answerMy Department continues to provide significant financial supports to early learning and care (ELC) and school aged childcare (SAC) services throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, in the case of pod closures or full service closures due to Covid-19, my Department continues to pay the full subsidies for those children registered in one of my Departments’ childcare funding programmes.
My Department does not provide ELC or SAC services. ELC and SAC services are provided by private enterprises, either privately owned or operated by community organisations. While service providers are contracted by my Department to provide services at a subsidised rate to parents they are free to set their own policies regarding the charging of fees. The current contracts between the Department and providers do not deal with the issue of services charging fees during periods when the services are closed. This is a contractual matter between parents and providers.
The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), will remain available to the sector until April 2022, with a continued exemption to the turnover rule for employers in the sector. Since August 2020, ELC employers have been entitled to access the EWSS, with an exemption to having to demonstrate the 30% drop in turnover that applies to other sectors. The EWSS covers approximately 80% of staff costs or 50% of total operating costs.
I would encourage parents who are experiencing difficulties with any aspect of service provision to contact their local City or County Childcare Committee (CCC) for assistance. Contact details for all of the CCCs are available at www.myccc.ie .
