Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2004
69 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she intends to reverse her decision to discontinue the crèche supplement to persons on social welfare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17777/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraSubject to certain conditions, a person whose means are insufficient to meet his or her basic needs and the needs of any adult or child dependant may be entitled to assistance under the terms of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards. The objective of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is to meet immediate short-term income maintenance needs. The scheme is not intended to be a long-term solution in any individual case and it was never intended to be an ongoing source of funding for crèches. The appropriate necessary services need to be funded directly in a sustainable and appropriate manner.
This approach has been successfully adopted in certain health boards. The boards in question, with other agencies, have put in place appropriate long-term sustainable arrangements to meet the needs of the families concerned without requiring them to apply for supplementary welfare allowance. I want to see that approach taken up in the other health board regions so that we have sustainable child care arrangements in place throughout the State. The crèche supplement was introduced with the intention of providing assistance to a parent in need of short-term emergency support. This could arise, for example, where a parent would not be able to avail of necessary supports such as counselling services or addiction treatment programmes without assistance with child minding. It was never intended that the supplementary welfare allowance scheme would provide ongoing support for crèches.
When the change was announced in November 2003, 1,738 crèche supplements were being paid. This figure represented an increase of almost 150% in less than three years from January 2001 because payments were increasingly being made for reasons which were clearly outside the scope of the original intentions of the scheme.
The fact that supplements were in place for long duration in many cases indicates that they had become a long-term child care support rather than the short-term social welfare intervention which was originally intended. In effect, long-term child care needs were being provided through a short-term emergency provision scheme. This is not an appropriate way to meet the needs of the people in question. Consequently, the changes introduced are necessary to refocus that scheme on its original objective of providing short-term income support.
I have held discussions with officials from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Department of Health and Children, the Department of Education and Science and health board representatives to ensure a more co-ordinated approach to the provision of crèche and pre-school supports.
As an interim measure crèche supplements in payment prior to 1 January 2004 are being allowed to continue. Health boards retain discretion to provide assistance by way of once-off exceptional needs payments in any case where a board considers that the circumstances of the case so warrant.
As the Minster states, this scheme affects more than 1,700 disadvantaged children and their families. She has been lecturing us on her efforts to tackle the problem of social exclusion, yet to save €2.3 million she discontinued the crèche supplement, which gives disadvantaged mothers the opportunity to return and complete their education or be retrained for work to get themselves out of the social welfare net. A recent report showed that some children in disadvantaged areas——
A question please, Deputy.
Is it fair that children in disadvantaged areas are being affected by this? What provisions will be put in place to allow parents with children to return to education in September to finish the course or retrain for work? Will an appeals mechanism be put in place?
As the Deputy knows, the crèche supplement is an emergency short-term measure. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform measures for staffing and capital grants support women who wish to return to work. They have a prerequisite of at least 10% towards the payment of the child care or crèche facility. In the Eastern Health Board area crèches are supported 90% by the health board, with a 10% supplement from my Department. This would not happen either in the Deputy's part of the world or in mine.
If there is a policy decision that we should have State-run crèches under the auspices of the Department of Health and Children, it is the responsibility of that Department, likewise if it is under the auspices of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform it should fall to that Department and not be a short-term measure coming from my Department. On that basis I brought in several representatives and officials to discuss the issue. As I indicated in my response, until we finalise this matter I will continue the payment of the crèche supplements to those in receipt thereof since 1 January 2004.
I have provided significant support for people returning to work, particularly those who are long-term unemployed and there are other facilities where those provisions are made through other schemes. That said, the basic premise is that a policy decision must be made as to whether it is necessary to provide 100% State aid towards crèches in particular circumstances and areas. It could be asked whether that should be the situation in our part of the world. There is an inequity in the way in which the matter is handled. This funding was initially provided to support women, particularly those suffering from alcohol or drug abuse or domestic problems, in obtaining counselling services. That support will continue under the exceptional needs payment.
However, in pursuing this matter further it is quite obvious that we are dealing with an educational social disadvantage issue as opposed to someone who wishes to return to work or to participate in a counselling service. A fundamental review and analysis of the necessity for child care provision in certain circumstances, 100% funded by the State, must be conducted on that basis. I continue to do that and hope to meet with the relevant Ministers to pursue the matter further and finalise it.
All sides of the House agree that to have an ad hoc measure like this does not benefit the parents, the children or the full administration of what we want to see in these crèches. Other health board areas have been able to address this issue fundamentally whereas in the large urban areas, particularly Dublin, they have not been in a position to do so. I am pursuing this measure on that basis and on the basis that we have a new policy direction on child care provision.
