Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 December 2016
288. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 215 of 23 November 2016, when she expects to bring this legislation before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and the date this legislation will have to be commenced for the administrative system for the new scheme to be in place by September 2017. [38910/16]
View answerThe new Affordable Childcare Scheme will be introduced to provide financial support for parents towards the cost of childcare. The scheme will be set out in primary legislation, encompassing:
- clear and detailed rules for the assessment of income and the provision of subsidies;
- clearly prescribed authority in relation to the sharing of data across public bodies and administrators; and
- comprehensive provisions in relation to the powers and obligations of the scheme administrator
Officials in my department are currently drafting Heads of Bill for the scheme, which are at an advanced stage. It is intended to bring the Heads of Bill to Government for approval early in the new year. Thereafter, the precise timeframe for the drafting of the legislation and its passage through the Houses will be subject to the usual considerations regarding scheduling and allocation of parliamentary time. It is intended that legislation would be in place in early summer.
