Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2017
49. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the interim arrangements for the new child care supplement in view of the fact that the database will not be ready in time to receive new applications in September 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30784/17]
View answerOn 11 April, I announced that the Affordable Childcare Scheme would not commence this September, but that a range of measures would be introduced by my Department to make childcare more affordable for thousands of families throughout Ireland. This honours a key commitment in the Programme for Government. I can confirm that these measures will commence this September. The measures are as follows:
A new universal subsidy will be available for all children aged between 6 months and 3 years of age (or until they are eligible for ECCE e.g 3 years and 3 months) in Tusla registered childcare. This will amount to as much as €1,040 per year for children in full time childcare.
In addition, subsidies provided under existing childcare schemes, specifically the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) Schemes, have been increased significantly, in some cases by as much as 50%. To illustrate the effect of this increase, the highest subsidy provided under the CCS scheme for full time childcare in 2016 was €95 per week. This will increase to €145 per week from September. This should decrease the co-payment required by families who qualify and therefore make childcare more accessible and affordable to these families; assisting parents in their return to training or employment and lifting families out of poverty.
These subsidies, both universal and targeted, will be available through childcare services who contract with my Department to deliver the schemes. The schemes are open to 4,500 community (not-for-profit) and private providers across the country.
In order to ensure that parents and childcare providers are aware of the changes to the schemes this September, a comprehensive information campaign is underway. Information packs have been sent to over 4,000 registered childcare services and information events for services have been provided at eight locations throughout the country.
A dedicated website has been launched (affordablechildcare.ie) and information for parents went live on this website on Monday 29 May to inform them of the various enhanced childcare supports they may qualify for this September. A campaign via various media, including digital and radio, has also raised awareness among parents.
There are no IT issues which will prevent the roll-out of the September measures to all eligible families. Registrations of children for the various programmes will go live from August 21. Work on the development of the new Affordable Childcare Scheme continues, in parallel to these September measures, and I will provide additional information on this in due course.
