Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

It is hard to estimate the number of children affected by the discontinuation of the crèche supplement last year because we continued to pay the supplement to existing recipients. We stopped accepting new applications and do not know how many people would have applied had they had the opportunity. There is no way to estimate this number accurately.

I provided €2.3 million for the provision of increased crèche supports in 2005. This provision will cover the continued support in 2005 of existing recipients and new cases referred by health sector personnel and social service professionals.

When I complete my discussions with the Ministers for Health and Children and Justice, Equality and Law Reform who play an important role in this area those funds will help to support community crèches as well. My objective is to help vulnerable families continue to have access to crèche supports where, for example, a social worker or public health nurse deems it necessary.

I said in the other House, and perhaps here, this crèche supplement was intended as a short-term assistance arising from social or medical reasons to provide interaction for disadvantaged children and to allow a parent, for example, avail of counselling services. It was never intended as the start of a national crèche network.

The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has a leading role in child care and the Department of Health and Children also has an important role in this area as do health boards. It was intended as a short-term income support for people who needed crèche backup and I have restored it on that basis, focusing on the original intention. Anybody who needs crèche support for particular reasons will have access to it under this provision. The funds we put back in 2005 are ahead of the 2004 figure so additional funding has gone into the scheme. It is refocused on where it was intended to be.

If the country wants a national network of crèches as another social service it must be part of joined-up government. It would require a series of decisions. It is inextricably linked with the question of child care for which the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has substantial funds and takes a lead role. I will work with that Department and the Department of Health and Children on a child care policy. Senator Cox spoke very well yesterday on the need for a child care policy that the country can afford and that it deserves. Part of that discussion will include the issue of crèches. My Department is determined to help anybody who requires crèche backup to avail of appointments and so on. We are progressing in that area.

At the end of 2003 a total of 1,738 crèche supplements were being paid and that grew by 150% in less than three years. One can imagine how that would grow if it took off as a national scheme under this Department. We have put extra funds into the scheme and opened it up but we have also refocused it on its original intention.