RTÉ Investigates has learned that the Department of Children has told a Dublin crèche to refund fees to dozens of parents, after an official review found it breached State grant rules by increasing fees for childcare places.
Hyde & Seek Childcare operates four crèches across Dublin city. The company was previously at the centre of a separate controversy when in 2019 RTÉ Investigates revealed serious failings in the standards of care provided across several of its branches.
Hyde & Seek was then owned by Anne and Peter Davy and their daughter Siobhán. Anne Davy subsequently stepped back from frontline childcare, but remains a shareholder in the company.
Last October, Pobal, the State agency which manages core grant funding for crèches, undertook a review into Hyde & Seek's Glasnevin branch, having been notified that it had increased fees charged for childcare places.
Hyde & Seek has been in receipt of the Core Funding grant which was introduced in 2022 to improve affordability and quality in the childcare sector.
Under the terms of the scheme, crèche operators were required to freeze their fees at 2021 levels.
Despite this, RTÉ Investigates understands Hyde & Seek informed parents of increases in fees last August. Pobal subsequently undertook its review into the Glasnevin branch.
Documentation obtained by RTÉ Investigates shows full-time care in a toddler/wobbler room was increased by almost €40 a week, to €280.
Prices set for places in 'Pre Montessori’ rooms increased by almost €35 a week, to €275, and after school care is also higher than it was when Hyde & Seek signed up for the core funding scheme. Five days of ‘After School’ now costs parents €25 per week more, at €155.
Each change amounts an increase of more than 10%.
It is understood several other crèches nationwide are also being reviewed in relation to raising their fees while in receipt of the Government Core Funding.
RTÉ understands that in November last, as the Pobal review was being undertaken, Core Funding payments to Hyde & Seek were put on hold.
The Department of Children was informed of the Pobal findings last month, and at that point Hyde & Seek Glasnevin was told it had 30 days to restore the fees to the correct levels and refund all parents who had been overcharged.
While the Department of Children told RTÉ it cannot comment on individual cases, RTÉ Investigates understands the 30 day period has now elapsed, and sources have also told RTÉ Investigates the Department may consider additional steps, including the possible recoupment of funding provided to date, if the issue remains unresolved.
RTÉ spoke to several affected parents who confirmed they have not yet received refunds for overpayments, and said they continue to be charged the increased fees.
RTÉ also contacted Hyde & Seek Glasnevin for comment on this story. In response their solicitor said their clients strongly deny these allegations saying they saying are false, inaccurate and/or incorrect.
Earlier this year, 41 families who sued Hyde & Seek Childcare in the wake of the 2019 RTÉ investigation settled their cases at the High Court for a total of €615,000.
The settlement was reached without an admission of liability.
