Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 October 2023
272. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what funding and assistance can be made available to a school (details supplied), which is at risk of closure due to the loss of its premises for the academic year 2024-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45968/23]
View answerI am aware of the challenges that can face an Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) service if they unexpectedly lose their premises and have an effective response in place to support such circumstances.
My Department oversees a case management process, through which local City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to ELC and SAC services experiencing difficulties. Under the direction of my Department, Pobal co-ordinate the overall case management process with the CCC administering on-the-ground case management assistance. This can include help with completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances. CCC and Pobal have previously engaged with services that were losing access to their current premises and provided assistance to identify alternatives.
Financial supports, which may also be accessed through the case management process, are available for community services presenting with sustainability issues following a financial assessment by Pobal. This includes a strand that can support community services with the operational costs associated with a sudden need to move premises.
While both community (not-for-profit) and private (for-profit) services play a vital role in the sector in providing services in local communities, this financial support is currently available for the community sector. It is unfortunately not possible for my Department to provide direct financial assistance to private (for-profit) childcare services experiencing this particular circumstance at present.
There is however some €69 million allocated over the period 2023-2025 to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars:
1. Building Blocks - Improvement Grant;
2. Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; and
3. Building Blocks - Innovation Grant.
Under the Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, €9 million was allocated earlier this year in grants ranging from €35,000 to €75,000 for energy upgrades and retrofit projects, which supported services in need of upgrading, such as kitchen refurbishments, roof repairs and the replacement of flooring.
Work is currently under way on the design and delivery of Pillars 2 and 3, which have a combined allocation of €20 million in 2024 and €40 million in 2025.
The Building Blocks – Capacity Grant will fund an expansion of existing services in areas of undersupply. Funding will also be provided to support the development of new services, where most needed. The Building Blocks – Innovation Grant will pilot a range of innovative initiatives such as outdoor early learning and childcare services. I hope to be in a position to provide more information on the delivery of this Building Blocks – Capacity Grant in the coming weeks.
