Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

The future of local community child care facilities is being threatened by the new funding structure to be introduced by the Government on 1 January. Under the new staffing grant scheme, only children whose parents are in receipt of social welfare payments will be eligible for some financial support. Those parents will still face significant weekly bills. From discussing the matter with several groups throughout the Roscommon-South Leitrim constituency, I know that up to 90% of children will be deemed ineligible for any financial support because one parent is earning more than the social welfare cut-off point.

Many community groups providing not-for-profit child care services have legitimate concerns that, as a consequence of the new funding arrangements, it may become financially impossible to provide their services. The State provided facilities with significant amounts through capital investment to get them up and running, but the withdrawal of the State's financial support and the ever-changing HSE requirements, which have further cost implications, will pass considerable costs to young families struggling to cope with their increasing mortgages. The funding plan will force some parents out of employment, as they will be unable to afford child care. This goes against the principle of the current scheme, the objective of which was to encourage women back into education, training and the workforce. We are now telling those women that their role is not valued. The Government's thoughtless introduction of a scheme has sent shock waves through communities. It is anti-family and will force many parents into the social welfare cycle rather than help them to break out of it.

Community child care has been a success story and has supported the children in the small, rural schools of many communities. Why will the income of facilities providing such a vital service be reduced? The scheme must be reconsidered. The Government must return to the drawing board, engage in a more widespread and thorough consultation and introduce a funding scheme to support communities, not undermine them. I commend the motion to the House.

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