Mary White (Fianna Fail)

We all know the Minister of State asked the community child care groups for their views on the proposed scheme, which is intended to help disadvantaged parents. Some 90% of the groups returned their data. I said last week to Senator Bacik — níl sí ag éisteacht liom anois — that the Minister of State would resolve the matter quickly. He has announced that he has increased the subvention for social welfare parents from €80 to €100 per week and for family income support parents from €30 to €70. He has also introduced a new band C covering parents not in receipt of social welfare or family income support, who will get €45 per week. The Minister of State, like a good politician, did not carve his original policy intentions in stone.