Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 327: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will become more directly involved in the provision of sustainable and affordable child care for parents living in situations of disadvantage and work closely with other Departments on this important national issue. [12012/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Officials from my Department have had discussions with the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Health and Children, Education and Science and the health service to identify and put in place suitable funding arrangements consistent with the limited, but socially important, responsibility which my Department has in this area.

Under 2005 guidelines from my Department, community welfare officers can pay crèche supplements to assist parents with child care costs on a short-term basis in individual cases on the recommendation of a public health nurse or health service social worker. This would arise, for example, in emergency situations where there are particular family difficulties or where a parent is undergoing counselling or a course of addiction treatment. I provided €2.3 million in additional funds in budget 2005 within the supplementary welfare allowance subhead for this purpose.

The objective is to meet a short-term individual family need. However, the scheme is not designed for, nor is it suitable as, a source of ongoing funding. A number of other child care supports are available under Child Care Act provisions, the Health Service Executive; the equal opportunities child care programme — Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; and the early start pre-school programme, Department of Education and Science. These are more appropriate and sustainable sources of financing child care supports.

I am conscious that the provision of affordable and accessible child care arrangements and facilities can contribute significantly to the success of measures being considered to address, in particular, the issue of children at risk of poverty. I will continue to keep the issue under review and to avail of whatever opportunities arise to assist social welfare recipients in this important area.