I propose to take Questions Nos. 1943 and 1944 together.
Currently SUSI grants do not give rise to eligibility for subsidised childcare other than through the ECCE free pre-school programme, although some recipients of SUSI grants may be eligible for subsidised childcare on other grounds. For example, if a SUSI grant-recipient also has a Medical Card or a GP Visit Card, then the SUSI grant-recipient may be eligible for childcare subsidised through the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) scheme. In addition, the ECCE free pre-school programme is a universal programme that provides 15 hours of free early care and education for 38 weeks per year for children aged between 3 and school-entry, regardless of parental income.
As from September 2017, a new universal subsidy for childcare is being introduced for children aged between 6 months and 36 months, or until qualification for the ECCE free pre-school programme if that is later than 36 months. As this new subsidy is universal, it will be available to SUSI grant-recipients who are not already in receipt of a CCS childcare subsidy. Provided the child is within the specified age-range, a subsidy of up €20 per week will be available in any Tusla-registered childcare provider, for up to 52 weeks per year.
In addition, at the earliest possible date the existing targeted childcare schemes will be replaced by the Affordable Childcare Scheme. When it is introduced, the Affordable Childcare Scheme will change the basis of eligibility for subsidised childcare. Rather than eligibility being based on possession of a Medical Card (or GP Visit Card) or receipt of a relevant social welfare payment or participation in a designated training course, eligibility will then be based on family income. A student in a family where the only source of income is a SUSI grant will then be eligible on income-grounds for a childcare subsidy.
