Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 203: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the measures she proposes to put in place to ensure that the providers of child care facilities are not permitted to increase their cost on the simple pretext that parents of children under six years of age will be in receipt of €1,000 per annum child care supplement as indicated in correspondence (details supplied). [4587/06]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Responsibility for the new national child care strategy 2006-2010, including the national child care investment programme 2006-2010 has been assigned to the Office of the Minister for Children under the aegis of my Department.

Under the national child care strategy, a new early child care supplement of €1,000 per annum is being introduced in respect of all children less than six years of age and will be effective from 1 April 2006. This will be a direct, non-taxable payment of €250 per quarter year, in respect of each eligible child, payable by the Office of the Minister for Children.

The new child care investment programme 2006-2010, which is Exchequer funded aims to provide a proactive response to the development of quality child care supports and services which are grounded in an understanding of local needs. It will build on the previous Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, EOCP, 2000-2006 in supporting child care providers and will incorporate the following key objectives: increasing the supply by 50,000 additional child care places — this is over and above the 26,000 places already in place and the 15,000 due to come on stream under the EOCP; improving the quality of early childhood care and education services including part-time, full day care, school age child care and childminding; supporting families and breaking the cycle of disadvantage; supporting a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of child care which is centred on the needs of the child.

The Government does not have a role in setting the level of fees charged by privately owned child care centres. These fees would normally vary on a number of grounds, including level and quality of services provided, geographic location, the age of the children and the level of supply of child care services. While it is open to providers to review their fees, it is considered that the cost of providing the service and the supply of child care places in the area relative to demand, are the most relevant determinants governing the cost of child care.

The Government is satisfied that its commitment to significantly increasing the supply of child care places through the national child care investment programme, and previously the equal opportunities childcare programme, is the most effective way to assist parents with affordable child care.