Seanad debates

Wednesday, 14 November 2007

Community Child Care Subvention Scheme 2008-2010: Statements (Resumed)

 

4:00 pm

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I apologise to Members for not being able to be here for the earlier debate as I had to attend a Cabinet sub-committee meeting. I understood that this debate was to be finalised yesterday. I apologise for my absence.

Senator Keaveney made valid points, as she has done since August, in regard to this scheme. As I outlined to the House last week, the scheme was announced in July. It was stated clearly on numerous occasions by myself and Department officials that there was a transition period up July 2008 and that the community facilities that were in receipt of funding would be funded for the first half of 2008 on the basis of the funding they received in 2007. A 12 month transition period was introduced from the outset on the basis that we wanted to get more specific data on the profiles of the parents who had children attending these particular community-provided facilities.

Another phrase that I, politically, and the Department officials used continuously was that if there were particular trends emerging that would cause difficulties for people, we wanted all the data to be available so that we could make further decisions and enhance the scheme. That has been the stated position since last July.

I was here last week and I could not be here earlier because the business of the House was changed yesterday——

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