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

We will look at the specific settings the Deputy has identified. We want to make sure the supports that have been provided for parents and children in the past in the way we have provided funding will still be available. I do not want to comment further on the specific settings as I am not sure exactly what is going on, but we will look at them. More generally, what I have been trying to describe is that, with the introduction of the national childcare scheme, those who are making the least or on the lowest income will get the most. In fact, we are trying to ensure this will continue to the case as we move towards the introduction of the national childcare scheme. As I have said previously, we will have sponsorship arrangements within the national childcare scheme. For example, if there are teen parents who are still in education and training, the Minister for Education and Skills sponsors them and they receive free childcare. If there are refugees and asylum seekers who need support, they are sponsored by the Department of Justice and Equality and receive free childcare. To promote their welfare, Tusla often sponsors children in order that there is free childcare. We will look at the specific settings the Deputy has identified because there may be something else going on.

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