Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 April 2017
379. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 311 of 22 March 2017, when it is proposed to introduce the new affordable child care scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19095/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has agreed its plan to make childcare more affordable, using the additional €19m childcare funding agreed in Budget 2017, and has approved a range of measures that will see more than 70,000 families benefit from reduced childcare costs from September.
Moving from one of the most expensive childcare systems in the world to one of the best is ambitious, and we need to move one step at a time.
Significant progress has been made in developing the Affordable Childcare Scheme. My Department is working with Government Departments and Agencies to build a fully automated on-line system. This will provide a user-friendly means for parents to access childcare supports. It will also facilitate the administrative efficiency of the new Scheme. Given the sheer complexity of this development, and a number of external factors beyond the control of my Department, the on-line system will not now be introduced until a later date. However, in the meantime, a number of enhancements to existing childcare schemes are being made with effect from September 2017.
From September, up to 33,000 children aged from 6 months up to 36 months and availing of registered childcare will benefit from a new universal childcare subsidy. The maximum weekly subsidy payable will be €20 for children attending full-time care.
Also from September, up to 23,000 children and their families currently availing of childcare support under the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme will benefit from significant increases, of up to 50%, in the subvention rates provided under the programme. For example, parents availing of full-time childcare who currently have their childcare costs subsidised by €95 per week will see their subvention rate rise to €145 per week. Up to 7,000 children and their families currently availing of the Training and Education Childcare Support programmes will also see increases in subsidy rates.
Up to 7,000 additional children and their families are expected to benefit from the CCS for the first time from September, due to improved access to the Scheme through a greater number of community and private childcare providers throughout the country.
Children and families can avail of these new levels of childcare subsidies under a number of circumstances, including if they are in receipt of Family Income Supplement or if they hold a medical card or a GP visit card.
Yesterday, I announced the launch of a Public Information Campaign which will provide detailed information, through a variety of sources, to ensure that parents and service providers will be able to find out everything they need to know about the new supports. In particular, the campaign will help families to find out what childcare supports will be available to them from September 2017. It will also help families to establish what childcare supports will become available in the future when the on-line system becomes available. At that point, using existing levels of investment, a further 9,000 families will benefit from more affordable childcare through childcare subsidies of up to €12 per week.
