We in the Labour Party were critical of last year's budget, particularly the determination of Government to use a huge chunk of money to give the equivalent of a cup of coffee back to some people rather than investing it in urgently needed public services. Inevitably, this meant that progress ground to a halt on things we were doing. There was no reduction in class sizes, there was insufficient funding for home care packages, there was no extension of free GP care for children and there was nowhere near the amount of money we need for capital investment. Having boxed itself into that corner, the Government knew it needed at least one signature policy for the budget. For weeks in advance of the budget, we were told that this would be affordable child care.

The overall direction chosen by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is correct. She believes in, and we support, the need to move towards a model of targeted universalism where all families get support, with additional support for those who need it most. It did not get enough funding to be truly meaningful, but some argued that we needed to start small to get it right. That would be fine but even this small limited start now lies in tatters. The Irish Examiner reports today that neither the legislation nor the IT system is ready. For weeks, I have been asking the Taoiseach for an update on this legislation. I never got a clear answer except to be told that it was urgent. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan warned back in February that the system was in trouble because Pobal had indicated that the IT systems were not in place to do the job. The Minister never answered that charge.

The reason neither the Taoiseach nor the Minister would give direct answers is abundantly clear. Having made political capital out of promising a child care scheme that would be progressive and help families who needed it most, the scheme will do no such thing. The existing targeted supports for the lowest income families will be retained but that is not progress. That is standing still. Now all that families will get is €20 per month in child care supports compared with a monthly cost in excess of €1,000.

I have two questions for the Tánaiste. What does she have to say to the tens of thousands of families who were led up the garden path by the Government in the lead-up to the last budget? Will she outline to the House the exact position regarding child care supports that will be in place and when they will be in place?

In respect of the first point about the economy, Deputy Howlin seems to have purged his mind of all memories of policies he so enthusiastically supported while he was at the Cabinet table. The Government will continue to honour its commitment to make child care more affordable for thousands of families - more than 70,000 children - by making a number of enhancements to the existing targeted child care schemes with effect from September 2017. We are determined to go from having one of the most expensive child care regimes to one of the best. Significant progress has been made. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is working with various other Departments and agencies to build the fully automated online system-----

Where is it?

I am coming to that. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is working with various other Departments and agencies to build the fully automated online system which will provide a user-friendly means for parents to access child care supports. It will be much more efficient in terms of administration. Given the sheer complexity of this development and a number of other factors beyond the control of the Department, the Department will not now introduce the online system until a later date.

When is that?

Early in the new year. From September, up to 33,000 children aged from six months up to 36 months and availing of registered child care will benefit from the new universal scheme. All children under the age of three will benefit from that. This will be in place from September. The maximum weekly subsidy payable will be €20 for children attending full-time care, which is €1,000 per year for those children. From September, another 23,000 children who are availing of child care supports under the community childcare subvention, CCS, programme will benefit from significant increases. These will be up to 50% in the subvention rates provided under the programme. Up to 7,000 additional children are expected to benefit from the programme from September due to improved access through a greater number of community and private child care providers participating in the programme throughout the country. I would remind Deputy Howlin that we have also brought in a second free preschool year, which will benefit-----

We did that.

Deputy Howlin remembers that one. That is there now. Paternity leave has been introduced for the first time.

We did that too.

More than 70,000 families will benefit from reduced child care costs from September. There is a group that because of IT issues in respect of accessing-----

What about the targeted group?

One group will benefit shortly afterwards once the IT systems are in place. The full cohort will then receive the subsidies.

It is extraordinary that the only positive things the Tánaiste has to announce are things done by the previous Government.

Budgeted.

In terms of the specific commitment-----

That is not true actually.

Not only the specific commitment but the signature commitment of last year's budget will not happen. That was clear in February. We knew there were going to be problems with the scheme because Pobal told the Government so during the pre-legislative scrutiny. The Government has had since February at least to be honest with people and tell them this would not happen in the timeline set out in the budget. I am still not clear about when this will happen for all targeted children. When will we have the announcement that was made in the budget on the revised child care supports that were supposed to be funded in 2017 and which will not now be delivered in 2017? When will they be delivered?

I have already mentioned the numbers of new children who will benefit from the increased child care that is available. That is the first point. There is a scheme there that will benefit far more children and there will be a greater level of subsidisation, something which was allowed for in the budget. They are new policies and it is important that they are being implemented.

In respect of the Deputy's question, we will need some legislation and an IT system. The Minister is examining that legislation and regards it as a priority. Work is being done on the IT system that needs to be in place to reach that group of families. When that has been done, using existing levels of investment, a further 9,000 families will benefit from more affordable child care through child care subsidies of up to €12 per week.