Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As Deputy Brady is aware, the national childcare scheme is coming into effect later this year. It will provide increased subsidies for childcare for tens of thousands of families across the State and, for the first time, some 10,000 middle income families will qualify for childcare subsidies.

The vast majority of these families, about 80%, have the public services card already and will be able to apply for those subsidies and increased subsidies online. I think the vast majority of them will do that because they will see the convenience of just being able to take out the public services card, apply for those childcare subsidies online and get those subsidies, without having to go through all the rigmarole of filling in forms, getting photographs, producing bank statements and all of that. However, for those who want it, that option will be available - there will be an option available for those who do not want to get a public services card. Mark my words, people will vote with their feet and their keyboards, and the majority of those parents will use the public services card to apply for that subsidy because it makes sense. Moving online and digitisation is the future of providing public services to people in this country but the alternative will be there.

In regard to the Data Protection Commissioner's report, we have yet to receive an enforcement order from the Data Protection Commissioner. When that arrives, obviously, the Department will study it and if this case goes to litigation, then, at that point in time, of course, any legal advice will be made available. The Minister has offered to meet the Data Protection Commissioner to discuss her concerns and findings but, unfortunately, the Data Protection Commissioner has declined that request.

The one thing I would say is that this is a democracy. The right of appeal is part of a democracy; it is in our Constitution. It is not unusual for the Government to appeal a decision. Dublin City Council made a ruling against the injecting centre on Merchants Quay and the Government has appealed that to An Bord Pleanála. The European Commission, on occasion, makes decisions that we do not agree with and we appeal them to the European Court of Justice. I think we would be undermining the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner if somehow we said her office was unique and that there was no right of appeal. That would be the wrong approach.

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