Written Answers
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24 February 2015 Written Answers. The following are questions tabled by Members for written response and the ministerial replies as received on the day from the Departments [unrevised]. 24/02/2015WRA00300 Questions Nos. 1 to 13, inclusive, answered orally. Questions Nos. 14 to 119, inclusive, resubmitted. Questions Nos. 120 to 129, inclusive, answered orally. 24/02/2015WRA00650Child Care Costs 24/02/2015WRA00700130. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the Central Statistics Office figures, showing a rise in the cost of child care in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7751/15] 24/02/2015WRA00800Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy James Reilly): I am aware of the rela- tively high cost to parents of child care in this country and of the difficulties that this presents, particularly where both parents are in employment outside of the home. The figures produced by the CSO indicate that child care fees generally across the country increased by 2.4% in 2014. To help address child care costs, in the region of €260 million is provided annually by my Department to support a number of child care programmes. These programmes are in addition to the support provided to all parents in the form of Child Benefit. The objective of the investment by my Department is to assist parents in accessing quality and affordable child care. More than 100,000 children benefit from this investment each year. These programmes include the free pre-school year provided under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. In the region of 68,000 children benefit from the pro- gramme at a cost of €2,375 per child per year. The CCS programme provides funding to community child care services to enable them to provide quality child care at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income working parents. Parents qualify as disadvantaged or low income on the basis of means-tested entitlements. In the case of full day care, parents qualifying for the higher rate of subvention under the CCS programme can have up to €95 per week deducted from the overall charge for child care in the participating child care facility. In the region of 25,000 children each year benefit from this programme. Further child care support is provided under a number of labour activation measures which support parents returning to the work force or availing of education or training opportunities. Increased capitation and subvention payments under the child care support programmes would reduce the cost to parents, and support child care services to meet the overall cost of 1 Questions - Written Answers child care provision. I have indicated that if resources become available, I will consider the scope for increasing the level of these payments. However, I want to ensure a cohesive, whole-of-Government approach to investment in child care services. To ensure that all the benefits of child care investments are fully realised, future public investment in child care must be evidence-based and strategically co-ordinated. With this in mind, I have established an Inter-departmental Group to look at the provision right across the 0 to 6 age group as well as to consider the after-school needs of older school-going children. I have asked the Group to report to me by the Summer. 24/02/2015WRA00825Child Care Services Funding 24/02/2015WRA00900131. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the adequacy of the capitation grant for the providers of the free pre-school year; and his further views that the current capitation grant to pre-schools is adequate for these providers to pay their care staff a professional wage. [7761/15] 24/02/2015WRA01000Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy James Reilly): The Government pro- vides €260 million annually to a number of child care support programmes that assist parents with the cost of child care. This figure includes €175 million provided annually to support the universal free preschool year under the Early Childhood Care and Education programme. These programmes are, of course, in addition to the support provided to all parents in the form of Child Benefit. The funding provided through the child care support programmes has had a significant im- pact on child care provision and has enabled many child care providers to continue to deliver child care services at a time of economic difficulty. The funding has also ensured that employ- ment levels across the sector have been maintained. The retention of the current level of invest- ment in child care is a considerable achievement, given the pressure on the public finances over the last number of years. I recognise the difficulties being faced by child care providers and I am aware of the con- cerns of child care professionals in relation to levels of remuneration in the child care sector. The remuneration for child care workers is a matter for agreement between employers and employees. Staff remuneration does account for the great proportion of the overall cost of providing child care services and I acknowledge that increased capitation and subvention pay- ments through the child care support programmes would assist child care services in addressing these cost issues. I have indicated that, if resources become available to my Department, I will consider the scope for increasing the level of these payments. However, I want to look at the question of appropriate supports for child care in a wider con- text. It is crucial that we develop a coherent whole-of-Government approach to investment in child care services. To ensure that all the benefits of our full range of child care investments are fully realised, investment in child care must be evidence-based and strategically co-ordinated. I have established an Inter-departmental Group to look at the provision right across the 0 to 6 age group as well as to consider the after-school needs of older school-going children. I have asked the Group to report to me by the Summer. 24/02/2015WRA01050Child Care Services Regulation 2 24 February 2015 24/02/2015WRA01100132. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the new child care regulations will revise the standards with regard to paediatric first aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7699/15] 24/02/2015WRA01200Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy James Reilly): Preschool services are subject to the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No.2) Regulations 2006, as provided for under Part VII of the Child Care Act, 1991. The Deputy may be aware that my Department is progressing the Early Years Quality Agen- da which introduces a number of key of reforms that provide for the further development of the child care sector. To underpin these reforms, it was necessary to amend the Child Care Act 1991 and these legislative changes were enacted through the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. To provide for the implementation of the changes, it is necessary to carry out a root and branch re-examination of the existing regulations including a restructuring of the regulations and guidance content in line with the latest drafting practices. This has proved more time consuming than originally envisaged. Officials in my Department are working closely with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to develop a comprehensive draft of the new regulations, which will include a requirement that early years services have a person trained in paediatric first aid available at all times. I am very anxious that all people working directly with children in the early years sector have an appropriate Paediatric First Aid qualification. However, there is no accredited award in Paediatric First Aid at any level on the National Framework of Qualifications. There is an accredited award in Occupational First Aid and it is a stipulation that the training can only be provided by organisations or individuals on the Register of Occupational First Aid Training Providers. This register is maintained on behalf of the Health and Safety Authority by the Oc- cupational First Aid Assessment Agent. The delivery of Paediatric First Aid courses could be regulated by developing a Special Purpose Award through Quality and Qualifications Ireland and my Department has already sent such an award proposal to them. However, the same standards that apply to the delivery of the Occupational First Aid award should also apply to Paediatric First Aid courses. At the moment, there are a lot of companies delivering 1 day courses in Paediatric First Aid and offering their own certificate of accreditation. I would like to see an external quality assurance process in place to ensure that these companies have the skills and competences to deliver a nationally accredited course. My Department has been in touch with the relevant agencies seeking to progress the devel- opment of a Special Purpose Award in Paediatric First Aid and the external quality assurance of the delivery of such an award. I have asked my officials to keep me informed of developments in this matter. 24/02/2015WRA01250Child Care Costs 24/02/2015WRA01300133. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the cost of child care in counties Kildare and Meath and similar high-pressure commuter belt areas has increased dramatically, in recent years; if tar- geted measures are being considered under the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures programme, including the option of targeting resources in very high-pressure areas where a greater demon- strable need is evident; and if he will make a statement on the matter.