Childcare Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023

Monday, 11 September 2023

Questions (1496)

Brendan Smith

Question:

1496. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will amend the conditions applicable to the core funding programme for childcare services to enable service providers obtain the relevant payment in respect of all children where services expand the number of children provided for during the course of the year, rather than payment being capped at the enrolment level at the end of August each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39352/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Core Funding is intended, in part, to encourage expansion of capacity in the ELC and SAC sector. However, the scheme is operating within the constraints of the Budget allocated, and therefore some controls are necessary to ensure the scheme remains within its allocation. This makes sure that the scheme continues to be available to all services.

Locking the base rate at the beginning of the year is a necessary control to ensure the scheme operates within the allocation for the year. However, if an ELC or SAC service does expand its capacity during a programme year, the other funding schemes – NCS and ECCE – will pay out for the additional children that take up new places. At the beginning of the next programme year, and every subsequent year, the service can then sign up for Core Funding again with their new higher capacity.

It may also be relevant to note that Core Funding operates on staffed capacity and not enrolments; meaning that if there are any unoccupied places within a service’s maximum capacity at the beginning of the year, funding is still paid in respect of these places.