Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for being here. A lot of my questions will be directed at Mr. Jerry Murphy as they concern Pobal which was handed the mammoth task of delivering the programme as it has a lot of experience in that arena. My first concern is about the level of engagement it has had with the Department of Social Protection and Revenue because we are looking at individuals who are self-employed and also in the PAYE sector. What ICT system has Pobal acquired or sought to procure to ensure the required integration between all of the various Departments involved? That system needs to be delivered as staff will need to be trained how to use it. In a nutshell, will it be ready for use in September?

My second question relates to the affordability, accessibility and sustainability of crèches in rural communities throughout the State which are on a knife edge. The position is different from that in Dublin where people are queuing to secure places in crèches; in rural areas it is the opposite where crèches are driven by the needs of those in receipt of social welfare payments or participating in the back-to-education scheme.

I welcome the scheme which is a landmark in terms of the shift in child care, but there are huge hurdles to be overcome. I wish to pick up on one or two points made in the briefing document. One of my concerns is that the document states the change reflects the aim of the scheme to support labour market activation. I believe, however, that this does not apply in all cases. Some families do not come within that classification, but the best place for their child is in a community crèche. What will be done to support these families? For various reasons, the parents may not be able to work or may not be up to minding for their child. What funding models will be used to support these families? The current system is very compassionate in that regard. I believe some of that compassion is being lost.

The extension from 48 weeks to 52 is welcome, but I am concerned about the retention of staff in the child care sector because of the funding model used. What is being done to address the issue of staff retention in the sector?