Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
587. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the reason Pobal decided at 5:30pm on 11 September 2020 to confirm that children who were not back in a service by that day would lose their place (details supplied). [25078/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the rules governing the Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) savers programme, parents who wish to maintain the "Saver" status for their eligible child under the CCSP programme were required to enrol their child in a Tusla registered service within four weeks of that service reopening. The current programme year for CCSP began on 17 August 2020, and 11 September was the end of the four week period. Pobal therefore informed childcare providers on 11 September that the registration window for savers was closed.
Following representations from childcare providers, my Department has reviewed this rule and has decided to suspend it for the current programme year, as some parents are reluctant to return their child to childcare, for example due underlying health conditions.
Eligible children can register at any time in the current CCSP programme year and retain saver status. The registration will apply from the date the child first attends the service, it will not be backdated to the beginning of the programme year.
A notice informing all childcare services of this decision was circulated by Pobal on 16 September.
