In this week’s Seanad Debate on the new ‘National Childcare Investment
Programme Community Childcare Subvention Scheme 2008-2010’ being introduced
by the Government, Green Party Senator Déirdre de Búrca has called for the
scope of the childcare funding scheme to be widened.

According to the Green Party Senator the new Community Childcare Scheme
will replace the previous programme which allocated funding to childcare
providers through staffing grants. The new funding system will be targeted
specifically at disadvantaged children. Parents who are in receipt of
social welfare will be subsidised for community-based childcare at 80 euros
weekly for full day care and 30 euros for those on Family Income Supplement.

“I am concerned however that low income families will be excluded from the
scheme because parents are not in receipt of social welfare or the Family
Income Scheme” says De Búrca. “For example, what about families where
parents have a medical card or have a ‘GP Visit Card’ entitlement? Are
these low income families going to be penalised by excluding them from the
community childcare subsidies available through the new scheme”.

Senator de Búrca says that the objective of the new restructured community
childcare subvention scheme is to target funding at children from
disadvantaged families. “Access to subsidised community childcare is
essential in order to allow low income parents to avail of education,
training and employment opportunities” says de Búrca. “This in turn will
help to break the cycle of disadvantage and poverty. I asked the Minister
today in the Seanad to consider broadening the scope of the new community
childcare funding scheme to include more low income families. I am
optimistic that such changes will be introduced over the coming months”.

For further information please contact Senator Déirdre de Búrca on (086)
8061450

Filed under:
Press Release by Deirdre