Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome what was delivered in the budget for ECCE. Focusing on the affordable childcare scheme, will the Minister confirm what she has started with regard to the affordable childcare scheme, and that our ICT system will be in place for September 2018? I am seeking a commitment from the Minister to have a pathway for that to ensure it will be there. How is the legislative framework proceeding to make sure that the Revenue and social protection pieces of the jigsaw related to the affordable childcare scheme will also be in place for September 2018? While I compliment the fact that some families will be in receipt of €7,500, some are missing out and will not even get as much as €12 per week. There are as many as 9,000 not included because of the threshold of €47,500. Was there much uptake of the GP cards or have any of the Minister's staff a reflection on that? That was an avenue to bring more people into the affordable subsidy level in the affordable childcare scheme.

See this speech in context