Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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512. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the estimated 9,000 families that are yet to benefit from the affordable childcare scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31187/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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In order to fast-track many of the benefits of the Affordable Childcare Scheme, in September 2017 I introduced a range of interim measures.  These involved an increase of up to 50% in current targeted childcare subsidy rates and a new universal subsidy for all children aged between 6 months and 3 years who are in a Tusla-registered setting.  To date these measures have seen very good take-up rates and 76,000 children have benefitted. These measures will continue to be available over 2018 and 2019. 

Prior to the introduction of those measures in September 2017, it was estimated that approximately 9,000 children, who would not benefit from these interim measures, would benefit from the Affordable Childcare Scheme once launched.  This estimate was based on:

(a) the numbers of children aged 3 and older whose family incomes are above the threshold for a GP Visit Card but below the threshold for the Affordable Childcare Scheme, and

(b) the numbers of children aged 3 and older whose parents may be eligible for a GP Visit Card – or other eligibility criterion – but have not taken it up.

However, in advance of the Scheme starting, there is considerable difficulty in predicting the number of children who will benefit from subsidies under the Scheme, because of uncertainty around 'dynamic' effects on the demand for childcare.  This uncertainty means that the figure of 9,000 was, and continues to be, a tentative estimate. 

The Deputy has asked about the date from which the scheme will be available. 

I am glad to report that officials at my Department are making good progress in the development of the Affordable Childcare Scheme.  This involves intensive work across legislative, ICT, administrative, governance and communications areas, with positive progress being made across all of these areas.

With regard to the legislation establishing the new Affordable Childcare Scheme, the Childcare Support Act 2018 was signed by the President on Monday, 2nd July.  The Act will be underpinned by detailed secondary legislation and formal policy guidelines.  Work is currently ongoing on both of these and also on the development of regulations to provide, for the first time, for the registration of school-age childcare services by the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate.  These latter regulations will be introduced in advance of the Affordable Childcare Scheme to allow school-age childcare services to register and thereby participate in the scheme from its inception.

With regard to the ICT system to underpin the scheme, my Department has just concluded a full open tender public procurement process and I have awarded a contract for the development of the system.  The launch of the scheme is dependent on this ICT system.  As such, now that a contractor is in place, my officials are finalising a detailed project plan and I will shortly confirm and communicate a planned start date for the Affordable Childcare Scheme.