609. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a person (details supplied) who was not notified via email that they needed to renew their child's subsidy under the NCS and as such was cut off from the scheme unbeknownst to them, can be refunded the missed funds over the five month period that they were forced to pay un-subsidised rates due to an administrative error; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47199/26]

The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides financial support to help families meet the cost of early learning and childcare. In order to continue receiving a subsidy, parents are required to renew their application before the expiry date of their current award. It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that their details are kept up to date and that renewal applications are submitted on time.

The Scheme Administrator (Pobal) issues reminder notifications by email and through the portal, in advance of an award’s expiry date. However, regardless of whether such notifications are received, the onus remains on the applicant to renew their subsidy.

In the case referred to by the Deputy, the Scheme Administrator has confirmed that two notifications were issued to the applicant on the 05/10/25 and 02/11/25 to advise that they had entered the renewal period and advising the award was due to end soon. The second notification which was sent on 02/11/2025 was not opened on the Applicant Portal until 21/04/2026. Once opened, the applicant began a new application and a new award was issued the following day, 22/04/2026.

It is important to note that if a subsidy has lapsed and a renewal application is submitted at a later date, the new award can only commence from the date on which the valid application is received. The legislation governing the Scheme does not provide for retrospective payments in respect of periods where no valid claim was in place.

Pobal has also confirmed that a review of the decision was requested but was declined, as all required notifications had been issued through the Applicant Portal within the appropriate timelines. An appeal was subsequently submitted on 29th April 2026, and the Independent Appeals Officer upheld the original decision; accordingly, the appeal was not successful.

In these circumstances, as all appropriate steps were followed by the Scheme Administrator, no provision exists for retrospective payments. All notifications were issued in line with scheme requirements, and both the review and subsequent appeal upheld the original decision.