John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 1061: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties and expenses encountered by a person (details supplied) in County Sligo in relation to child care costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25834/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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As the Deputy is aware, my Department is responsible for the delivery of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006. This programme, which falls under the regional operational programmes of the national development plan and benefits from significant investment from the EU Structural Funds, aims to increase the availability and quality of child care services. The programme makes capital grants available to community based child care and private child care providers for the purpose of building, renovating or equipping facilities. In areas of disadvantage the programme also provides multi-annual staffing grants to community based groups who provide child care services which assist disadvantaged families to access employment, education and training opportunities.

I have approved more than €447 million in capital, staffing and quality improvement grants to date under the programme. These grants when fully drawn down are expected to lead to the creation of approximately 40,000 new child care places, over 26,000 of which were already in place by the end of June 2005. In Sligo alone, I have allocated more than €10.4 million in grants. These grants will lead to the creation of more than 830 new child care places and support another 500 existing places in the county. I understand that more than 550 of these new child care places were already in place at end June 2005.

The programme also aims to provide support and assistance to the many childminders who are providing valuable child care services across the country as a childminder is the chosen child care option of many parents. The programme also encompasses many other quality initiatives identified in the child care strategy and aims to ensure there is a co-ordinated delivery of services nationwide.

The measures outlined relate to the supply of quality child care places. At the same time as the Government set up the equal opportunities child care programme to develop child care places, it decided to use child benefit as a way of assisting parents to pay for child care. Child benefit is the main fiscal instrument through which support is provided to parents with dependent children leaving parents with the choice of caring for their children themselves in the home or by paying for a child care service.

Effectively since 1997, child benefit has almost quadrupled. In the 2005 budget, child benefit was increased by €10 to €141.60 per month, per child, for the first two children and by €12 to €177.30 per month for the third and each subsequent child, from April 2005. This clearly signals the Government's commitment to assisting all parents in respect of the care of their children irrespective of income and employment status. It is noteworthy that the cost of child benefit now exceeds €1.9 billion per year.

I understand that a supplemental payment, under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is under the responsibility of the Department of Social and Family Affairs and administered by the community welfare officers of the HSE, is available in certain specified circumstances toward child care payments.

A review of income supports for lone parents has also been established by my colleague, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs. I understand that this review will also examine the supports, including child care, necessary to support lone parents availing of education and training and progressing into employment.