Latest news with #NationalChildcareScheme
Irish Examiner
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Social protection minister takes legal action against Data Protection Commission
The Department of Social Protection has initiated a legal action against the Data Protection Commission after the regulator ordered the Government to stop processing biometric data via its public services card. Papers were lodged in the High Court on Monday by the minister for social protection Dara Calleary for a miscellaneous common law application against the Data Protection Commission. The minister is represented by the Chief State Solicitor's Office. It is understood the action relates directly to the Data Protection Commission order against the department confirmed last month, which was delivered along with a €550,000 fine. It is not as yet known what the nature of the application is, given legal challenges to decisions by State agencies or bodies are typically delivered via an application for judicial review. The department of social protection had not replied to a request for comment at the time of publication. A spokesperson for the Data Protection Commission said that the regulator is not 'in a position to comment as the matter is now before the courts'. Last month's decision related to an investigation into the alleged biometric nature of the public services card — the welfare-benefits card which can also be used to access separate State services, including the National Childcare Scheme and driver licence renewals. Biometric data refers to any information that can identify a person by their physical characteristics — via a fingerprint for instance or, in this case, a photograph. The commission found the card violated GDPR by failing to identify a legal basis for processing biometric data, retaining that data without justification, and not ensuring sufficient transparency about how the data would be used during registration. The commission also ruled that the Government must discontinue processing such biometric data using the public services card within nine months of the decision unless it can identify a legal basis for doing so. It is not the first time the department has taken the legal objection route with the Data Protection Commission in light of adverse decisions regarding the card. In August 2019, the commission ruled that the State had no lawful basis for making the public services card — originally conceived in the 2000s as a welfare benefits card only by the department of social protection — mandatory for all public services. That decision led to a prolonged legal battle between the State and one of its own regulators. The dispute ended in a December 2021 settlement, with the commission's findings left unchallenged but with the State continuing with the public services card project — albeit without mandatory requirements. Read More Microsoft faces lawsuit over allegations of unlawful data processing for advertising
Irish Independent
04-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Government committed to €200 childcare fee, but increase in places must happen
A big feature of the election, which also made it into the Programme for Government, was the promise to reduce childcare fees to €200 per child per month. Last month, Children's Minister Norma Foley announced that fees for parents paying the highest rates in the country are to see those fees capped from September. This meant that fees would be brought closer to the average weekly fee of €197 for full day care, when the National Childcare Scheme subsidy is included. However, the figure is a long way off the commitment from government - but Taoiseach Micheál Martin said commitments in the Programme for Government would be followed through. 'The minister will come to us with her priorities, and obviously it's a Programme for Government commitment, so all Programme for Government commitments, will be followed through. So that's the basic point,' the Taoiseach said. 'But we also cannot lose sight of the need, as well as affordability, we have to move also in terms of additionality, in terms of places, and that people can get places,' he added. Mr Martin added that research showed more childcare places were needed quickly. 'We've made very good progress in childcare, but we need more places, so the access issue and the number of places is also important as well as affordability,' Mr Martin said. 'Some of the research at the moment is pointing towards the need to improve the number of places fairly quickly. In respect of child care, again, that speaks to the growth of population and the pressures on child care and health services and education. So there will be a focus on childcare, and that will continue,' he added. Asked if measures to begin the process of moving towards the €200 per month promise need to happen to show the Government is committed to reduction, Mr Martin said progress made in recent years needed to continue. However, he added that 'we can't do everything at once'. 'We have a whole range of issues now that we have to make progress on. There will be negotiations leading into the budget. We can't do everything at once, so we will endeavour to prioritise and continue the progress we've made in recent years,' he added. Last year, it was reported that a row had broken out in Government over the increase to social welfare payments with former Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys wanting increases for some on welfare payments, including pensioners, but not for jobseekers. Speaking in Hiroshima on his final day of his four-day visit to Japan, Mr Martin said the row was a 'false row' and that the proposal was never put to Fianna Fáil. Asked if he thought job seekers were less deserving of an increase in the budget than others on welfare, he said he does not agree with the characterisation of people on welfare. He added that priorities would have to be made in the budget and would like to see measures on child poverty come from the Department of Social Protection. 'I don't like drawing distinctions, and I've never been into the characterisation of people on welfare. I've never been into that politics,' Mr Martin said. 'We do have to make priorities. In terms of how we allocate, my view is that we have, over the last two years, committed to doing something significant on child poverty, to turn the dial around on child poverty, and that's where I would like to see a targeted set of measures emanating from the Department of Social Protection,' he added.
The Irish Sun
17-06-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Urgent warning to thousands of Irish parents claiming key €1.7k benefit as simple mistake could see it stopped
PARENTS face losing out on a major childcare subsidy worth up to €1,700 - all because of a simple step they might be missing. Thousands of 2 The National Childcare Scheme helps families with learning and childcare costs Credit: Getty Images - Getty 2 And parents are at risk of losing out on the major subsidy Credit: Getty Images - Getty The NCS provides financial support to help families with their early learning and And you may risk having your payments stopped if you don't confirm claims online after you submit them. Even if you qualify for the subsidy and have been approved, no payments will be made until you log into the NCS website and confirm your claim. The Department has sent clear warnings to READ MORE IN MONEY They said: 'No payments can be made to your childcare provider until you confirm the claim. "This claim is awaiting your confirmation, no payment of your NCS subsidy can be made to your childcare provider until you confirm the claim." That means your subsidy which helps with early learning and childcare costs will be paused or stopped completely if you miss this confirmation. Once you file a claim, you must check the details and approve it through your NCS account and without this confirmation, the payment cannot be processed. MOST READ IN MONEY This applies to both types of subsidies under the scheme: the universal subsidy, which isn't means-tested, and the income-assessed subsidy, which depends on your family's Budget 2025 Key Highlights and What to Expect Rates will vary depending on your level of income, your child's age and educational stage, and the number of children in your family. You can apply for the subsidy that best suits your For both the universal subsidy and the income-assessed subsidy, children must be: Aged between 6 months (24 weeks) and 15 years (children aged 15 do not qualify) Attending a childcare provider who is registered with Under the universal subsidy, the National Childcare Scheme is available to parents of any income level and is not means-tested. And the subsidy rates are based on the number of hours your child attends . Eligible under certain conditions The income-assessed subsidy is available to families with an annual reckonable And your hourly subsidy rates are based on your individual circumstances, such as your family income, your child's age and educational stage, and the number of children in your family. During school terms, you can use your subsidised hours for before-school and after- You must meet certain conditions to be eligible for the NCS. You or your current partner must be a parent of the child or acting in loco parentis, which means acting as a parent to the child. Your child must be over six months and under 15 years of age. You can apply online on the NCS website.
RTÉ News
11-06-2025
- General
- RTÉ News
Child-related benefits lift 15,000 children out of poverty
Child-related benefits have lifted over 150,000 children out of poverty according to the Economic and Social Research Institute. The study, published as part of the ESRI's Budget Perspectives 2026 series, evaluated the impact of existing benefits on child poverty. It found that Ireland's system of child-related cash and in-kind benefits has significantly reduced child income poverty and deprivation. In-cash benefits such as Child Benefit and Working Families Payment are considered in addition to in-kind child-contingent benefits such as National Childcare Scheme subsidies and free school books and meals. These benefits according to the ESRI are lifting an estimated 157,000 children out of income poverty and 94,000 out of consistent poverty. Yesterday, the Children's Rights Alliance published its latest Child Poverty Monitor which showed that there were almost 103,000 children in households in consistent poverty last year. Consistent poverty describes an income below the relative or at risk of poverty threshold and a person who cannot afford at least two of 11 deprivation indicators. Those indicators include having two pairs of strong shoes, a warm waterproof overcoat and eating meat, chicken, fish or a vegetarian equivalent every second day. The ESRI found that when it accounted for both in-cash and in-kind child benefits, the simulated child At Risk of Poverty (AROP) rate for 2025 was 13.9% (165,000 children). It concluded that in the absence of in-cash benefits, the AROP rate would be 10 percentage points higher. When it examined in-kind benefits, such as free preschool and school meals, the AROP rate would be 1.5 percentage points higher in their absence. Accounting for both in-cash and in-kind child benefits, researchers found a simulated child consistent poverty rate of 5.6%. In the absence of these supports the child consistent poverty rate would be 13.6%. The research explored ways to further reduce child poverty. A proposed second tier of means-tested Child Benefit "emerges as the most cost-effective option" according to the report. It would reduce the child AROP rate by 4.6 percentage points (lifting 55,000 children out of income poverty) and consistent poverty by 2.1 percentage points (lifting 25,000 children out of consistent poverty) - at an annual cost of approximately €772 million.
Irish Examiner
11-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Child-related benefits keep over 150,000 children out of poverty, ESRI report finds
Child-related benefits lift an estimated 157,000 children out of income poverty and 94,000 out of consistent poverty. But 165,000 children (13.9%) are at risk of poverty in 2025, a new report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) also found. Without in-cash benefits such as child benefit and one parent family benefit, the rate of children at risk of poverty would be 10% higher. And in the absence of in-kind benefits, such as free preschool and school meals, the at risk of poverty rate for children would be 1.5% higher. Increasing child benefits further would decrease child poverty, the ESRI report found. Welfare reforms that could decrease child poverty include increases to the working families payment, to child support payments, and to child benefit, as well as the introduction of a means-tested second tier of child benefit. "A proposed second tier of means-tested child benefit emerges as the most cost-effective option, reducing the child at risk of poverty rate by 4.6% (lifting 55,000 children out of income poverty) and consistent poverty by 2.1% (lifting 25,000 children out of consistent poverty) — at an annual cost of approximately €772m," the report said. Report author and ESRI senior research officer Bertrand Maitre said: The importance of tackling child poverty is becoming increasingly clear through research that shows the detrimental immediate and long-term effects of suffering childhood disadvantage. Report author and ESRI associate research professor Karina Doorley said: 'Our findings show that child-related benefits are a powerful tool in reducing poverty. Well-targeted reforms to the system of child-related benefits could further improve outcomes for children and families currently experiencing poverty. A second tier of Child Benefit could be a key part of that solution.' Published as part of the ESRI's Budget Perspectives 2026 series, the report evaluates the impact of existing benefits like Child Benefit, Working Families Payment, the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) subsidies and free schoolbooks and meals on child poverty. The ESRI report comes one day after the child poverty monitor found that the number of children in consistent poverty rose by 45,000 to almost 103,000 last year — a 78% increase. The child poverty monitor is published by the Children's Rights Alliance, which said the increase in child poverty levels was 'staggering' at a time of significant economic growth in 2024.
