Richard Bruton
Question:759. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of increasing each of the income thresholds in the NCS by 20% and by 50%. [42324/21]
View answerDáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021
759. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of increasing each of the income thresholds in the NCS by 20% and by 50%. [42324/21]
View answerThe National Childcare Scheme offers a statutory entitlement to financial support for childcare. The Scheme established an equitable and progressive system of universal and income-related subsidies. Subsidy rates are tailored based on individual circumstances, such as reckonable family income, child’s age and their educational stage.
The current income thresholds under the NCS, are a minimum of €26,000 and a maximum of €60,000. This equates to an annual cost of €202.5M.
In increasing the income thresholds by 20% the minimum would increase to €31,200 and the maximum to €72,000. This would equate to an approximate annual cost of €240.5M.
In increasing the income thresholds by 50% the minimum would increase to €39,000 and the maximum to €90,000. This would equate to an annual cost of approximately €309.6M.
The NCS is designed to be flexible, allowing income thresholds, maximum hours and subsidy rates to be adjusted in line with Government decisions.