Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 October 2017
71. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will meet the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection regarding community child care services that, due to its difficulties in recruiting staff through community employment, have to cut services in areas of great need. [43708/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI meet my Cabinet colleagues regularly to discuss childcare related issues, and advocate the needs and interests of the sector in accordance with my role as the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. I would, therefore, be glad to discuss the issues you have identified with the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, should this prove to be necessary.
In relation to the staff recruitment difficulties you have specified, the majority of community childcare services are operating successfully and have been able to manage issues that they face within existing structures. Notwithstanding this, it is recognised that a small number of services have faced financial challenges due to the requirement to replace unpaid CE Workers with staff qualified to the standard specified within the 2016 Regulations. €1m in funding has therefore been made available to services that identify themselves as being impacted in this way. To date, my Department has authorised the transfer of €0.52m across 60 applicant services from this stream of funding. Furthermore, an additional €0.7m has been allocated to this stream of funding for the coming year.
My Department, and the 30 City and County Childcare Committees across the country, are available to work intensively with any service experiencing difficulties.
Deputies may also be interested to note that centres who register for the enhanced childcare measures introduced last month will gain access to the Programme Support Payment (formerly Non-Contact Time payment). This programme will aid community child care services with the administrative demands placed on them. A total of €18m has been made available in 2017 and has been secured again for 2018 and onwards.
Community services are also expected to benefit from the 'September more affordable childcare measures' given the increase in subsidies paid to parents, in some instances by as much as 50%.
