Written answer
Childcare Services
Moatview received sustainability funding, but directors’ personal contributions are excluded; the award will be monitored and adjusted according to actual operating deficits.
139. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will urgently review (details supplied), given that the service remains in serious financial difficulty; if she will clarify whether documented personal funds contributed by a director to meet salaries, Revenue payments and essential running costs can be taken into account; whether the award can be reviewed or appealed and any further emergency support provided. [67233/26]
Comment on this
Following Moatview Early Education Centre’s engagement with Dublin City Childcare Committee (DCCC) and Pobal in July, the Department received and approved a sustainability funding request from Pobal on 7 September. The purpose of this award is to enable the service to remain operational while the Board of Directors, Pobal and the DCCC determine the additional financial and non-financial supports required to place Moatview Early Education Centre (EEC) on a sustainable footing for the new programme year. Supports will continue to be available provided the Board complies with the terms of the Board Engagement Agreement signed following the award of sustainability funding.
One of the contractual conditions in the Board Engagement Agreement is that the grant cannot be used to discharge unsecured loans or debts owed by the grantee to any employee, manager, officer, director, or other connected party. Consequently, a director’s personal contributions are not considered when calculating the grant value and the award cannot be used to pay back contributions from individuals. The intended use of the funding is for day-to-day operational costs.
In relation to reviewing the grant award value; funding will be provided to top up the shortfall between overall income and identified operating costs with due regard to any efficiencies arising as operational changes are implemented. This will be subject to continued monitoring and funding will be released strictly in line with actual deficits arising on a month-to-month basis. As a result, the overall grant value issued to the service is under consistent review and may either increase or decrease throughout the defined period of transition agreed by the Board of Directors of the service.