Government TDs voice hardship fears over changes to childcare scheme

A NUMBER of government backbenchers last night expressed concerns that changes to the Government’s Community Childcare Subvention Scheme will cause hardship to working families.

While welcoming the increase of €10 million next year, almost a dozen pro-government TDs — from Fianna Fáil, the Green Party and independents — said new rules would discriminate against low-earning parents who have relied on grant-aided childcare to allow them go out to work.

The surprisingly high level of FF opposition to the Government’s scheme may force Children’s Minister Brendan Smith back to the drawing board and may also amount to the first mini-mutiny by government backbenchers.

Mr Smith has included a review period of six months in the scheme, due to start in January, and many of his party’s TDs last night urged him to use that period to reconsider his proposals.

The minister indicated the current scheme was not transparent enough and argued that while accurate information and costings were being collated, it was decided to go ahead with a scheme that would assist the most disadvantaged.

But Fine Gael spokesman on children Alan Shatter, who introduced the private members’ motion, said this move would have a detrimental impact on many families availing of community childcare facilities.

They would lose a lot of their grant income and low-income families (where one or both parents were working) would be forced to pay higher fees, he said.

For a second night, some government TDs backed that argument. Michael Moynihan of Cork North West suggested some parents would find it difficult.

“It will affect people on low income levels, who are earning just enough to allow them to work.”

Sligo-North Leitrim TD Eamon Scanlon said some crèches would close while Jim McDaid urged him to reconsider. Clare’s Timmy Dooley accepted there was a considerable amount of concern but added that some was unfounded.

Beverly Flynn (Ind) said it would have an adverse impact on rural crèches.

“I am very worried about the impact it will have with regard to the social mix in crèches,” she said.

Mary White (Greens) said that there should a tapered system of eligibility rather than a definite cut-off. “Working parents may have to quit jobs,” she said.

Ciarán Lynch (Labour) argued that the Government was getting watery on it.

Michael Ring (FG) said it was a discriminatory measure against women and rural Ireland.

However, the government amendment to Mr Shatter’s bill was comfortably passed.