Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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703. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the legislation for the affordable childcare scheme, ACS, is expected to be passed; if passed, if the background work will have been completed to ensure roll-out for September 2017; and when the guidelines for the ACS will be made available. [5907/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Heads of Bill and General Scheme for the Affordable Childcare Scheme Bill were approved by Government on 24^thJanuary 2017, and are being examined by the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs on 8^thFebruary. The Heads of Bill and General Scheme will then be transmitted to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for the drafting of legislation, with a view to bringing the legislation to the Houses of the Oireachtas in the coming months, in order that the legislation be passed before the summer recess.

The Department is committed to the earliest possible introduction of the Affordable Childcare Scheme. It is working intensively with Pobal and other key stakeholders on the various elements of the work. As the Deputy is aware this is a complex and ambitious scheme involving not only legislation but the formulation of business processes and the build of an IT system which connects with two other Government agencies. The Project Board governing all elements of the project to deliver the new scheme, chaired by my Department, has agreed to revert to me in the coming weeks when it is better able to define the precise timeframe for completion of each component of the work.

The policy guidelines on the Affordable Childcare Scheme will be published as soon as possible after the legislation is passed.