Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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533. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he has put forward any suggestion or proposal to the Department for Finance to enhances tax relief for those families where one of the parents chooses to remain at home in order to provide child care for their family; if he will provide details of any discussions that his Department has had with the Department of Social Protection in relation to acknowledging the role that stay at home parents play; his views on the possibility of having childhood years in the home being counted as contributions under the social insurance fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11437/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The introduction of any tax relief scheme is a matter for Government and the Minister for Finance in the first instance.

My Department supports the provision of early childhood care and education by providing annually in the region of €260 million which ensures that more than 100,000 children have access to quality childcare. This high level of support has been maintained despite the difficult budgetary situation that prevailed in recent years.

I would like to be in a position to increase our investment in the provision of childcare as resources allow. However, I am determined that all such spending, whether existing or additional, will be based on good evidence, and co-ordinated strategically, so that we achieve the best possible benefits for children.

To this end, I have established an Inter-Departmental Group which will look at childcare provision right across the 0 to 6 age group as well as to consider the after-school needs of older school-going children. This new Group will include representatives of the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Finance and the Department of the Taoiseach and will be led and supported by my Department. I have asked the Group to report to me by the Summer.