Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 January 2025
1215. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of active fee reviews initiated by parents that are underway in each County Childcare Committee, in tabular form; and the number of fee reviews initiated by parents in respect of the 2024-2025 programme year which have concluded. [1164/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraCore Funding is a payment to Partner Services designed to support quality, sustainability, and enhanced public management, with associated conditions in relation to fee control and cost transparency, incorporating funding for administration and to support the employment of graduate staff.
Partner Services must uphold their contractual obligations regarding their fees charged to parents/guardians as laid out in the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement.
Where an individual identifies a case of a potential breach of Core Funding fee rules by a Partner Service, they may seek to have this examined and a conclusion reached through the Core Funding Fee Review process.
Core Funding Fee Reviews may be progressed through three stages. In order for the fee review process to commence, the initiator will need to reach out to their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC).
If the local CCC receives a query where a potential fee increase is raised, they can escalate it for examination through the Core Funding Fee Review Process.
The first stage of the process is with the National Fee Review Team (NFRT). The NFRT is composed of members of Sligo and Donegal County Childcare Committees (CCC) as well as members of my Department.
The primary purpose of the NFRT is to collate information on fee review queries at a national level. Once information has been collated, it will be reviewed in full by a separate function within my Department (Stage 2).
This function will make a decision on whether a breach of fee rules has occurred. This decision will be communicated to the relevant Partner Service who will be in turn provided with an opportunity to appeal this decision should they choose to do so.
In the event that a Partner Service requests an appeal of the Stage 2 decision, this appeal will occur at Stage 3 with another independent function within my Department, who will review the case independently.
Final decisions and appropriate remedial actions (if required) will be subsequently communicated following the conclusion of Stage 3. If the Partner Service does not seek an appeal of the Stage 2 decision within the required time, the Stage 2 decision automatically stands as the final decision (including any appropriate remedial actions if required).
The outcome of the Core Funding Fee Review Stage will also be shared with the CCC, who will inform the individual that initiated the process.
Currently, there are 16 active Core Funding Fee Reviews. All reviews in respect of the 2024-2025 programme year are currently still being reviewed.
Please see table below showing Fee Reviews per County Childcare Committees.
|
County Childcare Committee |
Number of Fee reviews per CCC |
|
Fingal CCC |
5 |
|
Galway CCC |
2 |
|
Kilkenny CCC |
1 |
|
Louth CCC |
1 |
|
Cork City CCC |
1 |
|
Dublin City CCC |
4 |
|
Cavan CCC |
1 |
|
Dublin South County |
1 |
