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Child Care Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 June 2012

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

Ceisteanna (812, 813, 814)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

818 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of funding being allocated to the CCS Scheme for 2012; the criteria that will be used to decide those that will be excluded from the scheme in the event that the funding cap is reached; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27435/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

819 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children that have benefitted annually from the community child care subvention scheme since it was established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27436/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

820 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the annual spend on the community child care subvention scheme since it was first set up; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27437/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 818 to 820, inclusive, together.

The Community Childcare Subvention scheme (CCSS), which provided funding to community child care services to enable them to charge reduced child care rates to low income and disadvantaged families, was introduced in January 2008 and was implemented under the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP).

In Budget 2010, the Minister for Finance announced that the CCSS programme would be succeeded by a follow-on programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, with effect from September 2010. This new programme continued to support community child care services and some 1,000 services throughout the State are currently participating in the CCS programme and receive funding which is passed on to qualifying parents in the form of reduced child care fees.

Funding allocated to provide for these subvention programmes amounted to €52.175m in 2008; €60.778m in 2009; €54.506m in 2010 and €42.5m in 2011. €42m has been allocated for the programme in 2012. The programme would at any given time support in the region of 25,000 children with some children benefiting from the programme over a number of years.

Community child care services qualify for grant aid on the basis of the level of service they provide and the profile of the parents benefiting from their service. The amount of annual funding provided for child care services participating in the CCS programme is determined early in the school year and follows submission to my Department, by the child care provider, of the profile of eligible parents who have children enrolled in its service. Because of the current budgetary situation no new places are available to service providers seeking to enter this programme in 2012. However, in exceptional circumstances where a participating service closes or opts out of the programme, a new applicant may be considered to take up the vacated place in the programme if they are in a position to meet the child care need arising.

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