Written Answers. - Child Care Facilities.
Deirdre Clune
Ceist:
33
Ms Clune
asked the
Minister for the Environment and Local Government
if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of local authorities reduce the number of children allowed in crèches to a level below that certified by health boards; the reason for this action; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29426/00]
Deirdre Clune
Ceist:
294
Ms Clune
asked the
Minister for the Environment and Local Government
the plans he has to facilitate the provision of pre-schools and crèches in local areas in view of the service shortage of such places; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29427/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 294 together.
Government policy on child care is to increase the number of child care places available and to improve the quality of child care services for the community. I published draft guidelines for planning authorities on child care facilities for public consultation in May of this year. The consultation period has now elapsed and the submissions received are being considered with a view to publishing final guidelines as soon as possible. The draft guidelines explicitly acknowledged that planning permission for child care facilities had been identified as an area of concern in relation to child care service development. The draft guidelines are intended to address this concern by ensuring a consistency of approach throughout the country to the treatment of planning applications for child care facilities and to identify the planning issues appropriate to such facilities.
The guidelines will assist planning authorities in their efforts to make suitable provision for child care in their development plans and will also be of interest to developers, builders and child care service providers. The guidelines will also assist the planning authorities in fulfilling the requirement under the Planning and Development Act, 2000, that the provision of services for the community, including crèches and other child care facilities must be included as an objective in development plans. In view of the importance of the issue, when issuing the draft guidelines, I asked planning authorities to take them on board straight away. The final guidelines to be issued early in the new year as ministerial guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, which came into operation on 1 November 2000.
In considering individual applications for planning permission, planning authorities are restricted to considering the proper planning and development of the area, regard being had to the provisions of the development plan and ministerial guidelines. In individual cases, depending on factors such as location and traffic conditions, planning considerations may give rise to the attaching of conditions limiting the number of children to be accommodated in a crèche at a level below that approved by the health board.
Question No. 34 taken with Question No. 12.
Question No. 35 taken with Question No. 24.
Question No. 36 taken with Question No. 15.
