Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Murphy for his presentation and presence which are very much appreciated. The committee is aware of the enormous challenge posed to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Pobal in rolling out a scheme of this scale by September. Obviously, if the legislation is to move through and be agreed to in the Houses, I imagine it will have to be done by June or July. As discussed at our last meeting, the committee will do everything it can to assist that process and ensure there will be no stumbling blocks along the legislative path. If an attempt had been made to get a programme such as this through the previous Dáil, it would have had to be considered by the Joint Committee on Health. One can imagine what it would have been like in trying to find space in the work programme of the committee for a programme such as this at the time. It is an enormous challenge as the programme offers, I believe, up to €10,000 per year per child. If a family have two or three children, it could technically receive €30,000. Will the Minister clarify if the figure is €10,000 per child?