Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We in the Labour Party were critical of last year's budget, particularly the determination of Government to use a huge chunk of money to give the equivalent of a cup of coffee back to some people rather than investing it in urgently needed public services. Inevitably, this meant that progress ground to a halt on things we were doing. There was no reduction in class sizes, there was insufficient funding for home care packages, there was no extension of free GP care for children and there was nowhere near the amount of money we need for capital investment. Having boxed itself into that corner, the Government knew it needed at least one signature policy for the budget. For weeks in advance of the budget, we were told that this would be affordable child care.

The overall direction chosen by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is correct. She believes in, and we support, the need to move towards a model of targeted universalism where all families get support, with additional support for those who need it most. It did not get enough funding to be truly meaningful, but some argued that we needed to start small to get it right. That would be fine but even this small limited start now lies in tatters. The Irish Examinerreports today that neither the legislation nor the IT system is ready. For weeks, I have been asking the Taoiseach for an update on this legislation. I never got a clear answer except to be told that it was urgent. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan warned back in February that the system was in trouble because Pobal had indicated that the IT systems were not in place to do the job. The Minister never answered that charge.

The reason neither the Taoiseach nor the Minister would give direct answers is abundantly clear. Having made political capital out of promising a child care scheme that would be progressive and help families who needed it most, the scheme will do no such thing. The existing targeted supports for the lowest income families will be retained but that is not progress. That is standing still. Now all that families will get is €20 per month in child care supports compared with a monthly cost in excess of €1,000.

I have two questions for the Tánaiste. What does she have to say to the tens of thousands of families who were led up the garden path by the Government in the lead-up to the last budget? Will she outline to the House the exact position regarding child care supports that will be in place and when they will be in place?

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