Anne Rabbitte
Ceist:31. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to outline the status of the implementation of the affordable childcare scheme. [7239/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 13 February 2019
Ceisteanna (31)
Freagraí ó Béal (6 píosaí cainte)
Will the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs outline the status of the implementation of the affordable childcare scheme?
I am pleased to report positive progress in the development of the affordable childcare scheme and to confirm our plans for the scheme to launch this October, with payments flowing from November.
The launch of the scheme will alter the landscape of childcare in Ireland. It will provide financial support for parents, establish a sustainable platform for investment in the childcare sector for decades to come and, crucially, it will allow us to continue to invest in giving our children the best start in life. Following the enactment of the Childcare Support Act last July, detailed secondary legislation and policy guidelines are being finalised. Our information technology development contractor is working with officials from the Department and Pobal to develop the scheme's supporting IT system to ensure it will be available on schedule.
In December I signed regulations that will provide, for the first time, for the registration of school-age childcare services with Tusla – a matter we have been discussing - and these regulations will come into force on 18 February. This means that school-age childcare services will be able to participate in the scheme from the beginning.
An information campaign for parents and the public on the affordable childcare scheme will commence next month. This will run alongside comprehensive training and information supports for childcare providers and other key stakeholders to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to be well prepared in advance of the scheme's launch.
Under measures included in budget 2019, I was delighted to have been able to further enhance the scheme by raising the upper and lower thresholds for income-related subsidies. These increases will poverty-proof the scheme for families on lower incomes; allow more families with higher incomes to access subsidies under the scheme; and ensure that an even greater number of families overall will now benefit from the scheme once it is launched.
In designing the scheme we have been very careful to listen to the views of parents and providers so that we can deliver the most user-friendly system that is possible.
To this end, we have had significant engagement with consultative and focus groups, which comprise parents, providers and others, so that we design and develop the scheme with users in mind.
This issue has been a priority for me for a long time because 35% of the income of families is spent on childcare. With the ever increasing cost of electricity and the cost of running a household, that 35% is absolutely astronomical. I am glad to hear about the launch of the awareness campaign, which will let people know what is expected when they want to sign up to this scheme. That is to be welcomed. However, one has to have a mygov.ie account, and the uptake of those accounts, as I understand it, has been slack; only 200,000 people have registered. It should be a big part of the Minister's campaign. We have to get people to understand that there is no point in looking for a mygov.ie account when enrolling on the scheme because it will be swamped and it takes a couple of weeks to get up and running. Will that be a part of the campaign?
The Deputy has asked two questions. Affordability is an integral aspect of what we have been developing. I am aware of the fact that parents are still struggling, and that is why we have made a continuing commitment to increasing the investment over a period of time. The additional €89 million provided this year will support the continued delivery of the childcare schemes and supports. As I have indicated, the significant increase in the scheme's maximum net income threshold, from €47,000 to €60,000 per annum, means that an estimated 7,500 children will benefit. That is a key aspect of the scheme. I could say more about that.
I am glad the Deputy raised the question of mygov.ie. It is absolutely crucial and will be an integral aspect of the information campaign. It is one of the reasons we are bringing it forward. People will need to be registered, and they might not be aware of that. It will be a key aspect of the information campaign, and it will important that representatives support us in letting their constituents know that it is an integral aspect.
How successful has the pilot of the project been to date? The ICT has been rolled out, and I assume we are trying it in a number of different areas around the country. How is the broadband issue feeding into that? Is it a factor? It is a concern for people in rural areas. How are the checks and balances and key performance indicators, KPIs, of the pilot working out? Is the project on target from a costs point of view? Has the ICT programme come in on budget? If so, by what percentage is it within its budget?
I understand that the piloting is continuing and is being supported. We are learning a lot about the scheme, which informs my belief it is on target and will be delivered on time. I can assure the Deputy of that.
On broadband, I will have to consult with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment because I do not have the answer to that question. We are rolling out the pilot scheme, but I will get back to the Deputy about the broadband issue.
On costs, I do not have any information that suggests the scheme is not within budget. I am sure I would hear about it if it was not. There has been much exchange in the last couple of years around the IT system and its development. I appreciate the Deputy's questions and concerns, but I feel that we can say with confidence at this stage that we are on target and within budget.