Response from DCYA to our last email

Regina, A quick response to issues raised in your email. We sincerely apologise for the problems with the IT system that occurred on the 29th and 30th and I understand for some over the weekend. Pobal is actively working to improve PIP so that this does not recur. I totally acknowledge the inconvenience and distress this causes to providers. We have no definitive date for the EY Capital Grant but it should be this month. We are working hard to try to ensure earlier rather than later. The School -Age capital should follow quickly thereafter. (I appreciate that most services' preferences would be for work to begin over the summer period.) The rules are nearly finalised and should be published very soon. As we said at the roadshows, we are not seeking to add additional requirements, but to make the rules more accessible and clearer. The two non contact time (NCT) payments announced in recent weeks represent the Minister's efforts to recognise the administrative workload associated with ECCE, CCS and TEC. For example, the NCT for the September measures is €203 per child in CCS Band A. or €28 per child for CCS Universal. The total to be spent on NCT in 2017 is €18m. I have copied Mark Considine above so that he might revert to you on when Grant approval will be given. We will also ask that Pobal seek to notify services of problems with the system asap via whatever means is available. Regards Bernie