Michael Noonan
Ceist:266 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Health and Children the estimated cost of providing a £10 capitation payment for all children in recognised child care facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23313/00]
Vol. 524 No. 5
266 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Health and Children the estimated cost of providing a £10 capitation payment for all children in recognised child care facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23313/00]
I understand from the most recent information available from the health boards that approximately 43,400 places for children in the 0-6 age group have been notified to the health boards under the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations, 1996.
The estimated annual cost of providing a £10 capitation payment per week for such children is £22.57 million. This is a purely arithmetic calculation; no account is taken of the different types of pre-school places.