Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
987. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when protocols and guidance will be issued to the owners of childcare facilities on the steps that need to be put in place in such facilities before they reopen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8386/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra1037. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will publish detailed guidelines for the reopening of childcare facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9627/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 987 and 1037 together.
On Friday 1 May, the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice, available evidence and consultation with ELC and SAC stakeholder representatives and providers themselves.
Expert guidance on the safe reopening of childcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was published by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on Friday, 29 May. The guidance recommends use of a “play pod” model which restricts interactions between closed groups of children and adults as an alternative to social distancing, on the basis that social distancing is not possible between young children.
Services are now being asked to apply the guidance to their setting and determine what capacity they may offer. It is expected that a significant amount of capacity will be available in individual services that reopen in the summer, subject to, for example, their space, room layout and staffing availability. Whilst there are 4,500 Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare services in the country, fewer than 2,000 of these normally remain open in July and August.
I have been engaging intensively with a number of organisations representing the childcare sector, through an Advisory Group. A range of additional guidance and resources to assist the sector to prepare for reopening are currently being prepared and will start to issue in the coming days and continue over the remaining weeks before opening.
