Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2015
557. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs regarding the seven departmental committees established to examine how best to facilitate parents of young children in returning to the workplace, if consideration of the provision of tax breaks towards the cost of child care will be included in these committees' remit. [19848/15]
View answerI assume that the Deputy is referring to the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and School-Age Care and Education which I have established to develop a coherent whole-of-Government approach to investment in early years and school-age care and education. Membership of the Group includes representation from right across Government, including the Departments of Education and Skills, Jobs and Innovation, Justice and Equality, Social Protection and as well as the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform, Finance and An Taoiseach.
The Group has held a series of bilateral discussions with relevant Government Departments, including the Departments of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Education and Skills, Finance, Jobs and Innovation, Justice and Equality, Public Expenditure and Reform and Social Protection.
To inform its work, the Group has already solicited the views of key stakeholders, interested parties and the general public through a number of consultative processes, including an Open Policy Debate on Future Investment in Early Years and School-Age Care and Education Services, which was hosted by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on 31st March 2015 and attended by some 40 invited representatives including parents, providers, academics, childcare committees, and NGOs.
Two separate online consultation processes - one with the early years sector and one with parents and guardians - have also taken place and the approximately 400 submissions received from the early years sector and almost 1,000 submissions received from parents and guardians are currently being analysed.
The question of tax relief or tax credits as a means of supporting working parents was looked at previously but was considered to be unsuitable for a number of reasons. For example, the introduction of tax credits would not help to support quality improvements within the childcare sector and would not help those families on low pay who may not have any tax liability. There is also concern that the application of tax credits could lead to increased prices and therefore have limited impact in terms of savings to parents.
I am determined that all spending, whether existing or additional, will be based on good evidence, and co-ordinated strategically, so that we achieve the best possible benefits for children. It is for this reason that I established the Inter-Departmental Group which will look at the question of appropriate supports for child care in a wider context. The Group will submit its report to Government by end June 2015.
