Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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228. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views that the current payments under the one-parent family payment are suitable for those who are attempting to pay childcare costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11857/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Child care policy, including the delivery, cost and the expansion of child care services, is the responsibility of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (D/CYA).

The amount of payment that a recipient of the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) receives depends on their average weekly earnings. For persons with average weekly earnings of €90 or less, the full rate of OFP may be paid. Earnings above this limit are assessed at 50% – up to a maximum average of €425 per week. In addition, to OFP where a lone parent is working a minimum of 19 hours per week they may be entitled to the Family Income Supplement (FIS). The rate of FIS payment will depend on the earnings and the amount of OFP they receive.

The after school child care (ASCC) scheme, which was introduced in Budget 2013, is a joint initiative between my Department and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (D/CYA) to provide subsidised after-school child care places to low-income and unemployed persons who make the transition into employment.

The purpose of the ASCC scheme is to help to offset some of the after-school child care costs that are associated with availing of an employment opportunity in a bid to encourage more individuals to take up employment. The scheme supports those who are unemployed as well as OFP recipients who lose their entitlement to the OFP payment. It applies to persons who take up a job, who increase their days of employment, or who take up a place on a Departmental employment programme. The parental contribution is €15 per week per child and remains at this level if the pick-up service is added and during school holidays when full day childcare is required.

The ASCC scheme builds on the existing range of approximately 25,000 subsidised childcare places that are available for low income parents. These places are provided by the D/CYA.