PSC the only access to subsidies as paper applications not in place

A former director at the juvenile justice facility at which Edward Bryan worked for 15 years has called for the publication of the full report into how allegations made against the former Christian Brother were handled.

The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes has requested a further extension until June 26, the Department of Children has announced.

Early education is undervalued, underfunded and has been ignored by successive governments, according to childcare workers protesting outside the Táinaiste’s constituency office.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs was advised by a data protection consultancy not to use the Public Services Card as a mandatory requirement for accessing the new National Childcare Scheme as to do so would risk breaching the constitutional rights of children.

Half of the creches given a last-minute emergency payment as an insurance crisis threatened providers across the sector with closure, received less than €1,000.

The Government has been criticised for making a “back-of-the-envelope” decision in response to the insurance crisis in childcare.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs was ordered to make the public services card (PSC) the only way for people to access the new National Childcare Scheme as it did “not make sense” for the department to be allowed to develop its own application system.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has yet to reply to a request by the data protection commissioner for “certain information” regarding the new National Childcare Scheme and the Public Services Card, despite that request being made nearly two weeks ago.

One of the country’s top civil servants has defended the public services card (PSC), saying the “value” of the project is “often misunderstood”.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) is facing a possible investigation and potential €1m fines over the mandatory requirement to hold a public services card in order to access the new National Childcare Scheme.

An alternative method for applying for the new National Childcare Scheme online, other than the public services card, was dramatically dropped on the advice of a State body with responsibility for the card’s expansion in January 2018.

The Public Services Card will be the only way for parents to claim childcare benefits from late October, despite the Taoiseach claiming that “an option will be available” for those who do not wish to register for a card.

The Public Services Card (PSC) will be the only way by which parents can access the new National Childcare Scheme when it goes live in October, despite a ruling from the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) that the card is unlawful when applied to State services other than welfare.

If the State is asking childminders and families using them to come out of essentially a black economy, there must be incentives, writes Juno McEnroe.

Minister for Children, Katherine Zappone, has announced draft plans but also insists that the Government does not want to scare away minders with proposals.

There are calls on the Department of Children to reveal the 37 childcare facilities on Tusla's 'critical' list.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said CCTV footage should only be used in creches if it is given the complete backing of all parents amid calls for the safety measure to be introduced.

The director of policy with Early Childhood Ireland, Frances Byrne, is calling for Tusla, Pobal and the Department of Education to form a task force, with powers similar to Hiqa, to carry out inspections of childcare facilities.

Ireland’s child protection watchdog can give no “cast iron guarantee” the RTÉ creche scandal is not being repeated in other services after it emerged 37 other creches are on a high-risk safety register.

A family who removed their child from the Hide and Seek creche service at the centre of an RTÉ exposé raised concerns about the facility with politicians and child protection services more than a year ago.

Tusla could be given new powers to shut down sub-standard crèches “immediately” and to tell parents of any investigations they are currently at risk of knowing nothing about.

Safeguards must be put in place around the use of reduced timetables, which are a “daily reality for many vulnerable students” that disproportionately affect the most marginalized, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

The new Bill “pushes to the boundaries” and represents “a major step forward” she told RTE radio’s Morning Ireland.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he and his government must heed the "stinging criticisms" made by Commandant Barry about the state of the Defence Forces.

Free books throughout a child’s life and new initiatives for children’s early learning will form part of a campaign to boost family supports.