15,000 childcare places left unused

ABOUT 15,000 childcare places that cost taxpayers €75 million to make available are not being used, largely because of low demand caused by unemployment and the recession.

But the Government faces a challenge to ensure those places remain open to families when the economy turns around and the need for placement increases, the Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard.

Jim Breslin, Department of Children and Youth Affairs secretary general, told TDs that one in five of the places supported by the national childcare investment programme are unfilled.

More than half of these 15,000 places were created as part of the €575m investment allocated to the scheme.

Capital investment was halted in early 2008 as signs of the recession emerged, even though applications for an additional €85m of capital investment for private and public childcare providers were being considered. Another €180m was in line to have been spent but this was stalled because of the downturn.

PAC chairman John McGuinness asked how much of the money given to childcare services which subsequently closed might be recovered for taxpayers. A report on childcare services supported by the department in the 2010 report of Comptroller and Auditor General shows that 126 facilities that received state subventions had closed up to the end of 2010. Mr Breslin said 71 received €3.7m in capital funding.

“The amount recoverable out of that would be just over €800,000 and €131,000 has been recovered [to date],” he said.

Officials of the National Educational Welfare Board told the PAC that staff are under major pressure due to service recruitment restrictions, and can be trying to monitor attendance of up to 18,000 primary and secondary students. Of the 108 staff it should have, only 93 are in place.

Meanwhile, a survey for the Teachers’ Union of Ireland shows that almost 75% of adults believe there should be little or no cuts to education in the budget.