Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 June 2024
629. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the administration cost for the provision of Better Start and the administration cost of city/county childcare committees; in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24966/24]
View answerThe allocation for the Better Start initiative in 2023 amounted to €16,798,000. Better Start entails a quality development service, which involves professional development, mentoring and coaching. Better Start also supports the Access and Inclusion model (AIM), and provides a range of learning and development supports to staff in the sector.
The allocation for the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) in 2023 included an operational grant of €13,081,000 to perform a wide range of activities to support the early learning and care (ELC), school-age childcare (SAC) and childminding sectors. Of this operational grant there are staff costs, administration costs and programme costs. The notional administration costs would amount to €1,940,325 but this entails the costs associated with the delivery of training and other supports to ELC/SAC providers, childminders; information services for parents and guardians, and a whole range of other activities.
