John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 425: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the likely cost to the Exchequer of establishing universal provision of early childhood care based on the Swedish system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12205/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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It is not feasible to transpose one model of child care into another jurisdiction without taking cognisance of a wide range of socioeconomic and other structural factors and therefore it is not realistic or indeed possible in a short time span to make an estimate of the cost to the Irish Exchequer of establishing the Swedish model of child care provision into Ireland. Among the factors which impact on the cost of child care provision are the age profile and labour market status of the population, arrangements for parental leave, welfare systems, the taxation system and the age structure for compulsory education. The funding arrangements for welfare type services such as child care also depend on the central and local taxation regimes. It is understood from a document published at an EU conference in 2004 that expenditure in Sweden on early childhood care and education for the age group 0 to 6 years amounted to SEK 34,500 million, about €3.75 billion, in the most recent year for which data were available. This is funded through tax revenue and parental fees.