Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 June 2012
557 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide clarity on the situation nationally regarding the level of complementary funding from the Health Service Executive that is provided to county child care committees if this funding is being withdrawn as a national or local decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29354/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra558 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will ensure that funding provided by the Health Service Executive to Donegal County Childcare Committee to enable it to provide quality support to the Donegal child care sector will be continued for 2013. [29376/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra559 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the fact that the only local support to non-regulated childminders is provided through the Health Service Executive funded Childminders’ Advisory Worker post within a number of county child care committees, the bodies that will support this sector when HSE funding is discontinued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29377/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra560 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if funding will be continued in 2013 in order that local support to non-regulated childminders in County Donegal provided by the Health Service Executive funded Childminders’ Advisory Worker post in Donegal County Childcare Committee will continue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29378/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra564 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the loss of Donegal County Childcare Committee’s Complementary Funding stream, previously supported by the Health Service Executive, the serious impact in terms of the loss of training and support to early childhood services across the country; and the plans her Department have to alleviate this loss. [29686/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 557 to 560, inclusive, and 564 together.
The 33 City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) were established in 2001 to advance the provision of childcare facilities in their local areas. They comprise local representatives from the statutory, community and voluntary sectors, social partners, childcare providers and parents. The role of the CCCs was expanded under the National Childcare Investment Programme to enable greater flexibility and responsiveness to local needs, and they had a key role in the development of local childcare infrastructure, quality standards, training and information. More recently, CCCs have been increasingly dedicated to locally managing administrative processes associated with the national childcare programmes (the Community Childcare Subvention programme, the Early Childhood Care and Education programme and the Childcare Education and Training Support programme). They also support the performance and sustainability of services in their respective areas. Each CCC receives funding from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. In 2012, the total amount allocated to the CCCs is €11.3m.
In relation to funding provided nationally by the HSE to support City and County Childcare Committees, the HSE has advised that there has been no decision to withdraw this funding. However, I understand that at a local level funding has been reduced or ceased in some areas due to the implementation of cost containment measures. The HSE has however confirmed that it will endeavour to support the CCCs wherever possible. The HSE has confirmed that funding totalling €87,678 was provided to Donegal County Childcare Committee in 2011 and €83,631 was provided in 2012.
In relation to Childminding Advisory Officer posts, the HSE has advised that a reduced level of funding has impacted on this post in many areas. No decision has been made in relation to the funding of the Childminding Advisory Officer post in Donegal CCC for 2013 and the HSE is engaged in an ongoing process with Donegal CCC in relation to the range of services to be commissioned next year. The HSE considers the role of the childminder as pivotal to the provision of early years services and will provide support wherever possible.
