Written Answers Nos. 663-675
663. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the full-year cost of increasing ECCE capitation by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43282/24]
View answer664. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the full-year cost of increasing ECCE capitation by 15%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43283/24]
View answer665. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the full-year cost of increasing ECCE capitation by 20%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43284/24]
View answer666. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the full-year cost of increasing ECCE capitation by 25%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43285/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 663 to 666, inclusive, together.
The Deputy has separately requested a breakdown the full-year cost of increasing ECCE capitation by 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%. Due to the similarity of these PQs it is proposed that they should be taken together.
My Department funds private ELC service providers to provide the ECCE programme at a standard rate of €69 per week per child attending the ECCE programme.
In calculating the full year cost of increasing ECCE capitation by a certain percentage, the total budget allocation for the ECCE programme for 2025 (€269.25 million) was used. The percentage increase was then applied to the total Budget allocation to generate an additional cost of the proposed change.
The results are given in the below table:
|
ECCE capitation per child per week |
Full year cost of change |
|
|
Baseline |
€69 |
0 |
|
10% Increase |
€75.9 |
€26.93m |
|
15% Increase |
€79.35 |
€40.39m |
|
20% Increase |
€82.8 |
€53.85m |
|
25% Increase |
€86.25 |
€67.31m |
It is important to note that these estimates are based on a static system and do not account for any potential changes in behaviour that would result from these changes.
667. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the money allocated to core funding in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43286/24]
View answerThe introduction of Core Funding in September 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector.
In 2022 Core Funding had an outturn of €80.4 million. Core Funding was introduced in September 2022. This includes the two weeks of Interim Funding which was paid to the sector. This Interim funding was introduced to support providers to transition from the EWSS to the new Core Funding stream.
In 2023 Core Funding had an outturn of €257.06 million, reflecting the first full year of expenditure under the scheme and increases to the scheme from September 2023. €4 million of the original allocation of €259 million was to remove the 3 year experience rule for graduate premiums contingent on updated Employment Regulation Orders reflecting this change. Due to delays in the establishment of these EROs by the Joint Labour Committee the full €4 million allocated for this purpose was not released.
In 2024 €303.3 million was allocated to Core Funding. This includes increases to the rates within the scheme which took effect in September 2023. These increases support the maintenance of the fee freeze, increased income for all services and up to 6% capacity growth.
In 2025 a minimum of €338.2 million has been allocated to Core Funding. This includes increases to take effect from September 2025 that will support the delivery of a range of enhancements in Year 4 of the scheme, including increases in capacity of 3.5%, increased support for services with the costs of administration and the maintenance of fee management measures.
I secured a further €15 million in Budget 2025 specifically to support employers to meet the costs of further increases to the minimum rates of pay in the sector from September 2025. This €15 million translates into full year costs of €45 million for programme year 2025/2026 (September 2025 to August 2026). This allocation is conditional on EROs being negotiated by the independent Early Years Services Joint Labour Committee.
Combined, and contingent on the third successive Employment Regulation Orders, the Core Funding allocation will exceed €350 million in 2025.
668. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the work of the unit within his Department examining what a nationalised childcare model might look like; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43287/24]
View answerReform of the early learning and childcare sector has been a major focus of this Government.
The Programme for Government committed to reforming the system to create one that brings together the best of community and private provision and the development of a new funding model for affordable, accessible, sustainable and high quality early learning and childcare.
The framework for reform of the sector is set out in Partnership for the Public Good, the 2021 report of an Expert Group which was established to develop a new funding model for the sector. The key theme of the recommendations in the report was to strengthen State involvement and enhanced public management in the sector, in conjunction with increased State funding. This is intended to be underpinned by a cultural shift to a partnership relationship between providers and the State that reflects the public good dimension of early learning and childcare, with new responsibilities on both sides.
The introduction of the new Core Funding scheme and its associated conditionality including in relation to staff pay and fee management; developments to the National Childcare Scheme and the Access and Inclusion Model; and the establishment of Equal Start this year represent the implementation of several of the specific recommendations in the report.
Under their terms of reference, the Expert Group was not asked to propose changes to the current model of delivery (i.e. privately-operated provision), rather that the Group should seek to further achieve policy objectives of quality, affordability, accessibility and contributing to addressing disadvantage in a privately-operated system through increased public funding and public management.
Notwithstanding their terms of reference, the Expert Group included in one of its 25 recommendations that: In the medium term, the Minister should mandate the Department to examine whether some element of public provision should be introduced alongside private provision.
In January 2024, I established a new unit, the Supply Management Unit in the Early Learning and Childcare Division, which includes as part of its remit to begin an exploration of public provision as called for in Recommendation 25. The unit is also responsible for developing a new forward planning model and administering capital funding. The Unit has been gradually increasing its staffing levels during the year so that it can deliver its remit.
There are different understandings of what public provision means to stakeholders in the sector. Issues relating to staff employment, pay and conditions; ownership and management of buildings; operating models; governance arrangements; service offering; appropriate level of supply of services; fees for parents; and the overall funding model will need to be examined. These issues, along with the wider potential implications of introducing an element of public delivery, are beginning to be examined by my officials.
669. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update the number of childminders that have registered for the NCS; the supports available to them to register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43288/24]
View answerThe main route through which parents are subsidised for their early learning and childcare costs is the National Childcare Scheme. The Childcare Support Act 2018, which provides a statutory basis for the National Childcare Scheme, specifies that only Tusla-registered providers are eligible to participate in the Scheme. The limitation of public funding schemes to Tusla-registered childcare providers helps to ensure that public funding is provided where there is assurance of the quality of provision.
On 30 September I commenced relevant sections of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2024, including removal of the exemption from registration for childminders, and at the same time the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Childminding Regulations) 2024 came into effect. Tusla opened the registration portal for childminders on the same day.
The pathway to registration under the new regulations requires childminders to undertake pre-registration training, as well as meeting certain regulatory requirements including Garda vetting, first aid certification and child safeguarding training. The childminder can then make a registration application to Tusla. Tusla assess the application and arrange for a pre-registration assessment (home visit). If the application and pre-registration assessment are successful, Tusla can register the childminder and the childminder can enter into contract for the National Childcare Scheme.
I have secured the funding, over successive budgets, to ensure that there is a Childminding Development Officer (CMDO) in each City/County Childcare Committee. The CMDOs are responsible for delivering the pre-registration training and providing supports to childminders at local level.
Prior to the introduction of the childminding regulations, a small number of childminders were registered under the early years service and school age childcare regulations. Of the 74 previously registered childminders, 57 currently have a contract to offer the National Childcare Scheme.
Among childminders not previously registered, to date 59 childminders have completed the pre-registration training, preparatory to applying to Tusla for registration.
670. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the cost of extending the AIM programme supports to all children with a disability aged 0-3 in childcare for six hours a day, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43289/24]
View answer671. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the cost of extending the AIM programme supports to all children with a disability aged 0-3 in childcare for eight hours a day, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43290/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 670 and 671 together.
The Access and Inclusion model is designed to support children in ECCE. From September 2024 it has also been expanded to support ECCE aged children in early learning and childcare outside of AIM.
The goal of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is to empower Early Learning and Care (ELC) providers to deliver an inclusive preschool experience, ensuring that every ECCE-eligible child can meaningfully participate in, and reap the benefits of high-quality early learning and care.
The minimum eligibility age of 2 years and 8 months for the ECCE programme (and by extension AIM) was chosen based on national experience and a review of international practice. It also had regard to the regulatory environment for Early Years education and care in this country and issues such as child development readiness and adult-child ratios.
This Department ultimately intends to extend AIM to younger children. However, this extension will require a redesign of AIM to ensure that it meets the different needs of pre-ECCE children, and also funding through the annual budget process to meet the needs of younger children. It will not be possible to estimate the cost of extending AIM to the 0-3 age group until the redesign is complete. Work in this regard is ongoing.
672. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the work of his Department to put ECCE on a statutory footing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43291/24]
View answerFirst 5 - A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028 commits to "undertaking a review of the ECCE programme and, subject to findings, consider the need to make changes. Over the lifetime of the strategy, introduce a universal legal entitlement to preschool."
The first state of this commitment has been met. An independent review of the ECCE Programme has recently been completed by Stranmillis University. Officials in my Department are currently considering the findings of this review.
The Department is developing a policy paper informed by those findings, which will act as a precursor for putting ECCE on a statutory footing.
673. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health to examine the case of over 70’s medical card holders (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42975/24]
View answerEligibility for a Medical Card is primarily based on a financial assessment which is conducted by the HSE in accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The HSE assesses each medical card application on a qualifying financial threshold. This is the amount of money that an individual can earn a week and still qualify for a card. It is specific to the individual’s own financial circumstances.
Persons under 70 are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after tax and the deduction of PRSI and the Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account. Examples of allowable expenses include rent, mortgage, certain insurance costs, childcare, maintenance, nursing home net costs which help to increase the amount a person can earn and still qualify for a medical card. Detailed guidelines are available at: Assessment for a medical card - HSE.ie.
Persons aged 70 or older are assessed under medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. The weekly gross medical card income thresholds for people aged 70 and over are currently €550 per week for a single person and €1050 for a couple. Furthermore, the Deputy may be aware that, since 2015, every individual aged 70 and over has automatic eligibility for a GP visit card. However, it should be noted that those aged over 70 can also be assessed under the general means tested scheme where there are particularly high costs, e.g., medication, nursing home fees. .
Every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card - in particular, to take full account of difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. In such circumstances, the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, for example:
• Discretionary medical cards issued to patients with significant medical expenses but who do not satisfy the means test.
• Emergency medical cards are issued to patients that are terminally ill, or are seriously ill, and in urgent need of medical care that they cannot afford.
• Medical cards issued to patients who are terminally ill with a prognosis of 24 months or less do not require subsequent means assessment and are not reviewed.
It should also be noted that where a person's sole income is derived from a social protection payment, even where this is more than the current means threshold, he/she will be awarded a medical card.
I can assure the Deputy that my Department keeps medical card issues under review in order to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs. Over the course of 2024 and 2025, we will review the existing eligibility framework to clearly assess what is working well and to inform policy proposals to enhance eligibility and access to services based on robust evidence. This is an important step towards delivering on universal healthcare in Ireland.
674. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health to examine the case of retiree’s being pursued for overpayments (details supplied); if he regards this as fair treatment for retired workers who returned to the system when needed to assist the country; the action he intends to take to remedy the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42988/24]
View answerAs this is a matter for the HSE, the HSE has been asked to respond directly to the Deputy.
675. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health to provide an estimate of the total cost to the exchequer of dealing with alcohol-related issues per annum, including, but not limited to, costs incurred by the health service and costs incurred in the course of handling drink driving incidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43219/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
