Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 2003

Vol. 577 No. 3

Written Answers. - Child Care Services.

Pat Carey

Ceist:

600 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the discussions which have taken place between her officials and officials of other relevant Departments and health boards to address the issue of crèche supplements as apply to Our Lady's Day Nursery, Ballymun, Dublin 11, and other such nurseries which are located principally in the greater Dublin area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31131/03]

John Cregan

Ceist:

606 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason for recent changes in the payment of crèche supplement payments by her Department, such as a crèche (details supplied) in Dublin 11; the way in which these families will now pay for the service; if the Departments of Health and Children and Justice, Equality and Law Reform will make additional payments to keep the service going; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31238/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 600 and 606 together.

The objective of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is to meet immediate, short-term income maintenance needs. The crèche supplements, which have been provided under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, were intended as a short-term income support for the parents of children who were referred to child care services for medical, family support or child protection reasons by the health board public health nurses or social workers. However, in many cases the supplements in question have been in payment for long durations and for reasons which are outside the scope of the original intention of the scheme.

As the Deputy is aware, most of the funding for the crèches in question comes from health boards. My Department has written to the health boards, where crèche supplements are paid, informing them of my decision in this regard and of the cost of these payments in their functional area. In addition, my officials have met representatives of the health boards to discuss the measures I announced in the context of the 2004 Abridged Estimates volume, including crèche supplements. The Northern Area Health Board has confirmed that the crèches in question will not close as a result of the withdrawal of supplementary welfare allowance crèche supplements. The board is examining the financial support it provides and will seek the additional funding deemed necessary within its child care and family support budget for 2004. My officials have also met representatives of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, which has responsibility for child care supports. That Department is considering the scope it may have to provide support to the crèches in question.