Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way her aspirations for childcare will be impacted by the reduction in child benefit [55945/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The issue of Child Benefit payments is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection.

My Department currently provides targeted support to parents to assist them with the cost of childcare. This support is provided through the provision of three childcare support programmes - the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme, and the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme.

The CCS programme provides funding to community-based childcare services to enable them to provide childcare at reduced rates to parents in receipt of social welfare payments. Middle and low income working parents may also qualify for support. Parents who qualify for the top rate of subvention under the programme receive €95 per week towards full-day childcare costs. The CETSprogramme provides €145 towards the weekly cost of full time childcare places to participating childcare services for trainees and students who are deemed qualified by FÁS or the VEC. Students on part-time courses are funded on a pro rata basis.

The ECCE programme provides one free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. Children aged between 3 years 2 months and 4 years 6 months at 1 September in the relevant year qualify for a maximum of 15 hours per week free pre-school provision over a 38 week period. This is a universal programme to which all children have access.

In 2012, the total expenditure by my Department on these three programmes is expected to be in the region of €240 million. These programmes have been maintained despite the ongoing need to reduce Government expenditure and they represent a significant investment in supporting parents with the cost of childcare.

As part of Budget 2013, I announced with my colleague the Minister for Social Protection a joint school age childcare initiative which will provide further additional support to both the community and private childcare sector. This initiative, which represents an annual investment of €14 million, will provide important support to parents in low income families wishing to take up employment, along with ensuring that quality after-school care is in place to support children's development.

Future developments relating to early years care and education will be considered during preparation of the new National Early Years Strategy which is currently being developed by my Department and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2013. This Strategy will cover a range of issues affecting children in their first years of life such as health, family support, learning and development and care and education and will identify the structures and policies needed to improve early year's experience in Ireland.