Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
853. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children getting support under the enhanced level of support available to those below an income threshold; and their distribution, by band of reckonable income, by age, and by average weekly hours claimed. [40347/23]
View answerThe National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides financial support to help families with their early learning and childcare costs. There are two types of subsidies available for children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years of age:- A universal subsidy which is not means tested and provides €1.40 per hour, for a maximum of 45 hours per week;- An income assessed subsidy which is means tested and will be calculated based on a family’s individual circumstances.
A total of 79,083 unique children have benefited from the NCS income assessed subsidy year to date in 2023. The breakdown of weekly hours claimed by age and number of claims by income band are in the tables below.
Number of children with a NCS claim in 2023 year to date by the average hours claimed weekly under Income Assessed applications and age
|
Age (years) |
Less than 15 hours |
15 to less than 20 hours |
20 to less than 30 hours |
30 to less than 45 hours |
45 hours |
Total unique children |
|
0 |
217 |
367 |
1,016 |
1,289 |
1,395 |
4,284 |
|
1 |
1,148 |
1,528 |
2,503 |
2,538 |
2,574 |
10,291 |
|
2 |
2,461 |
2,595 |
2,916 |
4,554 |
906 |
13,432 |
|
3 |
3,576 |
1,414 |
2,727 |
3,852 |
133 |
11,702 |
|
4 |
3,334 |
1,297 |
2,655 |
2,787 |
98 |
10,171 |
|
5 |
2,644 |
1,237 |
2,334 |
849 |
64 |
7,128 |
|
6 |
2,420 |
1,179 |
1,923 |
644 |
44 |
6,210 |
|
7 |
2,087 |
954 |
1,324 |
328 |
39 |
4,732 |
|
8 |
1,781 |
782 |
985 |
243 |
26 |
3,817 |
|
9 |
1,440 |
602 |
766 |
191 |
27 |
3,026 |
|
10 |
1,044 |
419 |
527 |
165 |
13 |
2,168 |
|
11 |
713 |
305 |
323 |
92 |
15 |
1,448 |
|
12 |
295 |
100 |
126 |
42 |
9 |
572 |
|
13 |
21 |
4 |
17 |
21 |
10 |
73 |
|
14 |
8 |
1 |
11 |
9 |
29 |
|
|
Total |
23,189 |
12,784 |
20,153 |
17,604 |
5,353 |
79,083 |
Number of children with a NCS claim in 2023 year to date under Income Assessed applications by reckonable income band
|
Income band |
Total unique children |
|
Up to €5,000 |
3,149 |
|
€5,000.01 to €10,000 |
1,859 |
|
€10,000.01 to €15,000 |
5,762 |
|
€15,000.01 to €20,000 |
9,480 |
|
€20,000.01 to €25,000 |
10,698 |
|
€25,000.01 to €30,000 |
12,733 |
|
€30,000.01 to €35,000 |
11,414 |
|
€35,000.01 to €40,000 |
9,661 |
|
€40,000.01 to €45,000 |
8,891 |
|
€45,000.01 to €50,000 |
8,311 |
|
€50,000.01 to €55,000 |
6,927 |
|
€55,000.01 to €60,000 |
5,435 |
|
More than €60,000* |
8,276 |
|
Total |
79,083 |
* Households that apply for an income assessed application but are above the reckonable income threshold are awarded the universal subsidy rate and hours.
