Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The concern that has been expressed to me in an e-mail is that, in effect, this means that children of unemployed parents will not be able to attend after-school and avail of the homework help, development of social skills and learning provided, apart from the 15 hours during non-term time. This is a genuine concern, particularly of the community sector. I acknowledge that labour market participation is one of the objectives of the scheme but the main objective is child-centred and child-focused. I do not know if the Minister has met the people who are directly concerned about this issue but there is a genuine fear that in some cases community child care services would not be able to afford to continue. An additional concern, apart from the concern around the children themselves, is that some of these services will not be viable under the new scheme. The legislation has not been passed yet so I do not know if there is an opportunity to consider the effects of this particular element of it but the Minister might do that.

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