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

Most of those 9,000 families that may not benefit, and who we had anticipated could benefit, would have incomes that are near the maximum income threshold for the affordable child care scheme. They would have received low levels of subsidy under the affordable child care scheme. It is not possible to specify the precise income levels that may be affected as the means test for the GP visit card takes into account not just the family's income but also the amount the family spends on housing costs and child care costs and other expenses. Based on the HSE data on the typical family incomes of GP visit card holders it is estimated that on average this group may have received in the region of €12 per week subsidy. That is on the basis that they have full-time child care so it is not necessarily the case that everybody is going to lose that amount. What we will do in September 2017 is a massive improvement and a very big first step. I am not going to say "Never say never" to taking a look at the possibilities of the retrospective issue, but it is really important to accept and acknowledge that this is a huge leap forward and we are moving towards it. It is not just about getting the IT right: obviously we must pass the legislation also.

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