David Stanton
Ceist:148 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans, if any, he has to introduce initiatives with regard to child care for workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12446/99]
Written Answers. - Child Care Initiatives.
The Deputy may be aware that the expert working group on child care, which was established by the Government under Partnership 2000 to devise a national framework for the development of the child care sector and which published its report in February last, included in its recommendations proposals for an integrated package of child care supports for parents in employment, or seeking to access employment or training opportunities.
The Government considered that the report of the expert working group provided a good base for discussion on the future development of child care. However it also recognised that child care is a complex issue and that two other reports, the report of the commission on the family and the report of the national forum for early childhood education, which also contained proposals in relation to child care, had to be considered. The Government therefore decided on 2 February last, to establish an interdepartmental committee, which is chaired by my Department and comprises senior officials representing 11 Government Departments, to evaluate, cost and prioritise the child care proposals in all three reports in addition to the Government's own child care proposal in An Action Programme for the Millennium. The committee is required to report to Government by August this year and has met on six occasions since 15 February last.
I might also point out that my Department already provides funding for the development of child care facilities through the equal opportunities child care programme. The equal opportunities child care programme has a budget of approximately £6 million made up of EU and Exchequer funding and is designed to support local communities and employers who are trying to facilitate women and men who have child care responsibilities while accessing training, education and employment. While it is targeted primarily at community based projects in disadvantaged areas, it also incorporates an employer demonstration initiative which is currently being developed in conjunction with IBEC to stimulate employer interest and involvement in supporting equal opportunity child care facilities for their employees. It involves 21 companies, some forming a consortium with other companies and community projects in their locality, in developing child care facilities for their employees. The total EU-Exchequer funding available for the employer demonstration initiative over the two year period 1998-99 is approximately £850,000.
My Department last month secured additional EU funding of approximately £1 million for enhancement of the equal opportunities child care programme through expanding the services of the main national voluntary organisations involved in child care, research to develop working models of family-friendly arrangements for use in small to medium employments and for training-staffing grants for the 25 projects in disadvantaged areas being funded under the equal opportunities child care programme.
The 1999 budget also included measures to facilitate and encourage the supply of child care facilities by employers. The provision of certain child care facilities by employers on a free or subsidised basis will no longer be subject to income tax in the hands of employees as a benefit-in-kind. Capital allowances have been provided to allow for the write-off of capital expenditure incurred in connection with buildings or premises constructed or used by employers to provide child care facilities for their staff.