Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 April 2024
534. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an alternative venue can be sourced to facilitate a club (details supplied) which is due to close in June 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17534/24]
View answer540. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the lack of after-school services available for children where both parents are working full-time; if he is aware of the recent closure of an after-school service (details supplied) where parents are now left without an alternative; how he intends to address this lack of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17580/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 534 and 540 together.
The Department of Education Guidelines on the use of School Buildings Outside of School Hours guide schools in the use of school facilities for other services, including early learning and childcare services. The Guidelines are clear that the issue is a matter for the property owners taking into consideration the needs of the school, staff and students. The Guidelines also require that any licence should include a term that the use of facility/portion of site covered by the licence must cease should it be required for school provision.
The Department of Education is in the process of updating these Guidelines and has engaged with the Department of Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on this work.
The Department provides the majority of funding to the early learning and childcare sector, primarily through the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the National Childcare Scheme (NCS), and through Core Funding, but it does not directly operate or manage early learning and childcare services.
These services are provided by for-profit or not-for profit services, either privately owned or operated by community organisations. While decisions about the day-to-day running of such services, including choice of location, any contracts or leases for premises and any decision to close is ultimately a matter for the provider, the Department can provide support in a number of ways to services who face losing their premises.
Support to find alternative accommodation is available to all services, both private and community, from local City or County Childcare Committees (CCC). The local City/County Childcare Committee should be the first point of contact for any service seeking support.
Parents whose children are attending a service which may be due to close can also contact their local CCC for assistance in locating an alternative early learning and childcare place for their child.
The Department also oversees a case management process, through which CCC and Pobal work together to provide support to early learning and childcare services experiencing difficulties. Case management assistance can include specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances. Financial supports may also be accessed through the case management process following a financial assessment. Currently, this support is available to community services to assist with the operational costs associated with a sudden need to move premises.
Any early learning and childcare service who is at risk of losing their premises in a school or elsewhere is therefore encouraged to contact their local CCC as soon as possible.
