April 14, 2020

Notice from DCYA re: Covid 19 Measures

Dear Providers,

Earlier today you received a statement from the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform about the Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (WSCS). Very good progress has been made on this scheme and the new Funding Agreement should be with you early next week for your consideration. Payments will be received on April 24^th by those that sign up to it by April 21^st.

Having considered how Exchequer funding can be best used to support the sector, funding for ECCE, NCS, CCSP and TEC schemes will be suspended from toda y enabling the wider sector to benefit fully from the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) and the WSCS. Please find a letter here , notifying you formally of the temporary suspension of these schemes for the period of the COVID-19 Emergency.

Services are reminded that to avail of the WSCS, you must be registered for the Revenue’s TWSS (unless your service has no employees). Those who have already registered for the TWSS, or who register now, can get a payment of €410 per eligible staff member per week, within days of doing so. Registration with and payments made under the TWSS can be backdated to March 26^th. The €410 per week per staff member due under the WSS will be reconciled by Revenue with the exact amount owed around April 20^th. The WSCS will be backdated to April 6^th for those who sign up to the WSCS.

Additionally, to support cash flow, DCYA is planning to release a proportion (33%) of the Programme Support Payment you were scheduled to receive in June, to reach your account on April 17^th. We will provide further detail re this on Tuesday.

DCYA acknowledges the significant distress COVID-19 has caused for everyone in Ireland and particularly for those operating businesses, including those running ELC and SAC services and employing staff. DCYA has worked intensively over the last four weeks to deliver a package of measures to assist the sector. We have been collating your many questions and preparing answers in collaboration with colleagues in Revenue and elsewhere. We will be issuing answers to those questions early next week alongside the publication of the WSCS Funding Agreement.

Wishing you a safe and happy Easter.

EY Division.

Department of Children and Youth Affairs.