Frances Fitzgerald
Ceist:95 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Education her views on the provision of affordable on-campus child care for third level colleges; her policy on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Childcare Facilities.
I understand from the Higher Education Authority that child care facilities are available in all of the university institutions. In the Technological Colleges sector in the case of the Dublin Institute of Technology and of participants in the New Opportunities for Women Programme in the Cork Regional Technical College some financial assistance is made available to assist in the provision of child care. Arrangements to provide a Day Care facility at the Tallaght Regional Technical College are, I understand, well advanced.
With regard to student support I would refer the Deputy to the range of significant improvements which was introduced in the Higher Education Scheme in 1992. These improvements included special provision for mature students and the exclusion of payments under the lone parents allowance scheme from reckonable income for the purposes of that scheme.
I would of course like to see appropriate child care facilities available in all third-level institutions and I will give every encouragement to these institutions to provide them within available resources.