Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2023
644. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide the minimum rate paid to all small, part-time and SAC early years services; the number services in receipt; and the total cost for 2021, 2022 and 2023. [54457/23]
View answerCore Funding was introduced in September 2022 and the minimum base rate allocation of €8,150 was introduced for all Partner Services except childminders from September 2023, therefore only initial data from year 2 of Core Funding, 2023/2024 can be provided. All Partner Services delivering centre-based provision, regardless of the size of their service, will receive at least this minimum base rate allocation. The €8,150 is a full programme year amount, Partner Service that are in Core Funding for less than a full programme year will be allocated the appropriate number of weekly payments.
As of 27th November, 148 services had their Core Funding allocations topped up to the minimum allocation at a full year cost (September 2023 to August 2024) of €282,619.83. As services can fall in and out of the minimum allocation during the programme year, this figure represents a point in time and is subject to change.
The minimum base rate allocation is applied to the weekly allocation of a service. A service whose weekly allocation for the base rate (and flat rate allocation where applicable) is less than €156.73 will see the balance added to their weekly allocation.
A service which starts the 2023/2024 programme year receiving the minimum base rate allocation will remain at this minimum for the entire programme year as their base rate will be capped at this point, i.e. if they remain in contract for the full 52 weeks of the programme year the service will receive €8,150 for the programme year (exclusive of Graduate Premiums).
Services can, however, begin the programme year with an allocation above the minimum allocation, and fall in and out of this during the programme year as their capacity changes. At any point in the programme year, no centre-based service will receive a weekly allocation of less than €156.73. Services that are not in Core Funding for the whole year will receive the appropriate number of weekly payments, including top-ups to their base rate to meet the minimum where appropriate.
