Child Care Services Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 June 2017

Thursday, 1 June 2017

Ceisteanna (261)

Anne Rabbitte

Ceist:

261. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to protect against displacement and the assessment criteria Pobal will use to determine whether demand exists before making funding available for the establishment of new and expansion of existing school age childcare (SAC) services in view of the recently published SAC capital 2017 application guidelines and the danger of displacement on the viability and sustainability of existing childcare services providing SAC. [26471/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The School Age Capital grant includes 2 Strands which directly relate to the expansion and improvement of existing afterschool services, these strands will not in any way displace services already operating and are designed to improve the services and allow them to expand their numbers and improve the quality of their service.

In addition during the appraisal process, Pobal will conduct a consultation with all local County Childcare Committees (CCCs). In this consultation the CCC can raise any issues that they would feel are important in their locality, which may include displacement of existing services. Should an issue be noted and found relevant, this will be taken into account in the appraisal process.