Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 June 2013
188. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the annual cost of providing a free after-school care place for all children aged between six to 12 years old, three hours per day, five days a week for 38 weeks per year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28501/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of Budget 2013 I, together with my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, was pleased to announce a new After-school Childcare initiative which will be targeted at low-income parents availing of employment opportunities. Lack of access to affordable, quality childcare is a significant barrier to many low income and disadvantaged families seeking to avail of work opportunities. This initiative will provide an important support measure to enable parents to avail of job opportunities. This is in line with the Government's overall strategy to support parents of low income families to take up employment and demonstrates how Departments are working together to deliver the Government's agenda on promoting employment and supporting children's development.
The initiative is expected to receive full year funding of €14 million to provide over 6,000 after-school places for children attending primary school in order to support parents to take up employment. This funding has been made possible through savings from the Vote of the Department of Social Protection.
Eligibility for the new After-school Childcare programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection. Officials from the Department of Social Protection and my Department are continuing in close collaboration on the operation of the programme. The first pilot phase has commenced. Up to 500 childcare places are available with Department of Social Protection local offices in Tralee, Mullingar, Dundalk, Cork City, Finglas, Kings Inn and Limerick City participating. The second phase of the pilot will be rolled out in July, with the full roll-out of the programme in September 2013, to coincide with the new school year.
As you know the emphasis in relation to all childcare support programmes is the delivery of easily accessible, affordable and quality childcare provision. The pilot programme will assist both Departments in determining the procedural, quality and practical issues that require attention prior to the finalisation of the programme. Detailed costings and possible permutations in relation to this level of service provision for the cohort in question have not been carried out by my Department. However, every year Pobal conduct a survey on behalf of my Department which provides a detailed insight into the early years sector, based on those services that receive funding from my Department. According to the figures for 2012, the average cost for the provision of an after-school place was €71 per child per week. Using this figure, 38 weeks of service provision as suggested and data from the 2011 Census indicating some 504,000 children attending primary school (aged from 5 to 12), the cost of after school provision, as outlined by the Deputy, would be in excess of €1.36 billion annually.
