Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2015
394. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views that it is fair that persons who are unemployed are able to receive considerable child care discounts under the subvention scheme, whereas persons who are receiving minimum wages are charged almost 100% of the fees under the scheme (details supplied). [24980/15]
View answerMy Department administers the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme which is confined to community not-for-profit childcare services. The CCS programme provides subvention support to parents on low incomes and parents in receipt of certain social welfare payments, whose children are enrolled in community childcare facilities. Parents in receipt of Family Income Support or who hold a medical or GP visit card can also qualify for support. The subvention is used by the services to reduce the weekly fees charged to disadvantaged or low income working families based on eligibility criteria.
Parents qualifying for the higher rate of subvention under the CCS programme can have up to €95 per week for each eligible child deducted from the overall weekly charge. To ensure that access to subvention support under the programme is not a disincentive for parents to return to employment, the CCS programme allows parents to retain the approved level of funding verified during the designated week for the remainder of the academic year even when the parent's eligibility for the CCS programme is reduced by the taking up of employment. If the parent is on the highest level of subvention, the programme also allows for a reduced level of funding support for one further school year.
I understand that the person referred to by the Deputy prior to returning to work was in receipt of subvention funding based on his eligibility for Jobseeker's allowance and his holding of a medical card. He had during this period one child enrolled in the programme for 3 days full-day care. However, during the designated verification week this year he was not in receipt of a social welfare payment but received a lower level of subvention on the basis of continuing to hold a medical card. It should be noted that parents who return to work and are in receipt of low income may be eligible for Family Income Supplement payments which, if held during the designated week together with holding a medical card, would entitle the parent to a higher rate of subvention.
The level of subvention payable to parents with children enrolled for the CCS programmes was notified to participating childcare services in March this year with an opportunity of one month provided to parents, who considered that they were entitled to a higher level of support, to appeal the decision. My Department has not received any appeal in relation to the person in question. I am satisfied that, based on the available information, the correct level of subvention has been provided in this case.
Eligibility details for all childcare programmes are available from City and County Childcare Committees and from the Department's website www.dcya.ie.
