Ms Laura McGarrigle:

In regard to child care providers, the intention is that parents will apply directly for subsidies under the affordable child care scheme. When approved for a subsidy, they will receive a unique reference number which they will take to the provider of their choice. The provider, in agreeing to provide services to that family, will, in turn, log on to the website and register the child using that unique number. In that way the system will be able to join up the approval of the subsidy with the payment of that subsidy to the parents' chosen provider.