Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2009
488 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the amount paid by her Department under the early child care supplement each year since it was introduced and to date in 2009 in tabular format; the number of families who benefited; the average family size of those recipients; the number of those persons in receipt of this payment where the children are living abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38461/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, my Office has responsibility for the Early Childcare Supplement (ECS) which is administered on its behalf by the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
The ECS was introduced in April 2006 as an additional payment to assist parents with the additional costs of caring for children in their preschool years. Due to the need to reduce public expenditure, over the course of this year a number of reductions have been made to the ECS including halving the amount of the payment from 1 May 2009. From 1 January 2010, the ECS will be replaced by the new free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which will be implemented by my Office and which is intended to give all preschool children the opportunity to avail of a preschool education in the year before they commence primary school.
As a direct payment to parents of children aged less than 6 years, now 5 years, my Office does not have details in regard to the number of families which benefited, or their size. The following is the position in regard to annual expenditure on the ECS during 2006-2009 which includes the numbers of children in respect of whom the payment was made.
|
Year |
Expenditure |
Number of Children |
|
€ million |
||
|
2006 (April to December) |
282 |
420,000 |
|
2007 |
418 |
420,000 |
|
2008 |
480 |
435,000 |
|
2009 (estimated) |
231 |
455,000 |
The number of recipients being paid outside the State, including those living in Northern Ireland, amount to 1,328, and these payments are made in respect of 2,401 children, i.e. some 5% of the overall total.
