Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 8:

In page 9, line 30, after “section 14” to insert “in respect of that child”.

Amendments Nos. 8 and 26 both aim to ensure that the referral of a child by a sponsorship body named in Schedule 2 will not create an obstacle to other relevant applications for financial support under the scheme.

Amendment No. 8 provides for amendment to section 7(1)(f) to ensure that, where only one child in a family benefits from a referral by a sponsorship body under section 14, parents may still apply for financial supports under the scheme for other children in the family in the normal way. The wording in the published Bill does not allow for this possibility as it implies that applicants may not apply for financial support if they are benefitting from free child care under section 14 in respect of any child. The amendment therefore proposes to address what is effectively an unintended consequence.

Amendment No. 26 relates to section 15(2)(d), the purpose of which is to stipulate that section 14 referrals for child care are an alternative route to support under the scheme. There is no need for subsidised child care in cases where a referral for free child care has already been made. Amendment No. 26 is needed to ensure that, in cases where one parent benefits from free child care as a result of a referral under section 14, the other parent of the child can still apply for financial support under the scheme in the normal way, particularly if the parents are separated and each has care of the child at different times of the week. In other words, while one parent to whom the section 14 referral applies cannot apply for financial support in the normal way, the other parent can apply for financial support on his or her own behalf in the normal way. The amendment therefore proposes to address any unintended negative consequence that could arise for the second parent in this example as a result of a referral arrangement being in place.