Childcare Services

Tuesday, 25 June 2024

Ceisteanna (351)

Duncan Smith

Ceist:

351. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current status for parents who secured a childcare place for their child, paid a large deposit and whose childcare circumstances change months prior to the child commencing in the crèche, who give ample notice of withdrawing their child from the provider’s list and are refused a refund of the fee paid, with the crèche provider having a waiting list for parents looking for childcare, given the lack of childcare services within the area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27162/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

When a Partner Service enters into Core Funding, they agree to adhere to the terms of the Core Funding Partner Service Agreement. One such term of this agreement for the 2023/2024 Programme Year is that a Partner Service agrees that they will not charge non-refundable deposits including administration fees, registration fees or other such charges where the parent/guardian takes up the service for which the deposit was paid.However, if a parent/guardian chooses to not take up a service there is no such provision in the Core Funding Partner Service Agreement for the 2023/2024 Programme Year that guarantees that this deposit will be returned to them. In such instances, the decision on whether a deposit will be returned is a matter of the independent agreement that occurred between the parent/guardian and Partner Service.