Mary White (Fianna Fail)

The Taoiseach congratulated me last Friday and said I could take the credit for this provision today. Children's allowance will increase to €150 for the first child and to €185 for subsequent children and there will be a direct payment of €1,000 per child under the early child care supplement. Rather than giving tax reliefs to parents who pay for child care, this cuts out bureaucracy and administration, which Senator Quinn and I greatly desire. The budget provides for, "a direct payment of €1,000 per year available equally to all parents regardless of their labour force status, for each child up to his or her sixth birthday".

Also to my heart's delight is a proposition on new child care arrangements, which was my final proposition. Child care and family issues span 11 Departments. To implement the five-year national child care strategy, the Minister stated that the Government will be introducing new administrative arrangements to streamline the functions relating to child care.