13. (1) Where the scheme administrator makes a determination under section 12 that an applicant is eligible to apply for financial support in respect of a child the subject of the application, the amount (if any) of the financial support for which the applicant qualifies (including any variation in any such amount) shall be calculated in accordance with regulations under subsection (2).

(2) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, make regulations for the purposes of this section and, in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, regulations under this section may make provision for all or any of the following matters:

(a) the amounts per hour of non-income related financial support;

(b) the maximum amounts per hour of income-related financial support;

(c) the income limit for qualification for income-related financial support;

(d) the methodology in accordance with which the amount per hour (if any) of income-related financial support shall be calculated;

(e) the maximum number of hours in respect of which an applicant may qualify for financial support;

(f) the definitions of work and study for the purposes of the Scheme; and

(g) the circumstances in which an applicant and his or her partner shall be deemed to be unavailable to care for the child the subject of the application.

(3) In making the regulations under subsection (2), the Minister shall have regard to the availability of resources.

(4) In specifying the amounts per hour of non-income related financial support, and the maximum amounts per hour of income-related financial support, the Minister shall also have regard to:

(a) the age of the child the subject of the application;

(b) the stage of education of the child the subject of the application; and

(c) any other matters which in the opinion of the Minister are proper matters to be taken into account having regard to the resources available and the objective of enabling children to attend childcare services.

(5) In specifying the methodology in accordance with which the amount per hour (if any) of income-related financial support shall be calculated, the Minister shall have regard to—

(a) the maximum amounts per hour,

(b) the amounts per hour of non-income related financial support,

(c) the income limit for qualification for income-related financial support,

(d) the income of the applicant and his or her partner, and

(e) the number of children under the age of 15 years who reside with the applicant or with his or her partner and in relation to whom the applicant or his or her partner is a parent.

(6) In specifying the maximum number of hours in respect of which an applicant may qualify for financial support under the Scheme, the Minister shall have regard to—

(a) any other financial support paid under the Scheme in relation to the child the subject of the application,

(b) in the case of income-related financial support, the extent of the participation of the applicant and his or her partner in work or study,

(c) in the case of income-related financial support, any change of circumstances in work or study of the applicant and his or her partner including the commencement, interruption or cessation of such work or study,

(d) in the case of income-related financial support, the unavailability of the applicant and his or her partner to care for the child,

(e) the period of time each week that the child the subject of the application is enrolled in a pre-school programme funded by the Minister or the Minister for Education and Skills, or the period of time each week that the child is eligible to be enrolled in such a programme, and

(f) the period of time each week that the child the subject of the application is enrolled in a school or is eligible to be enrolled in a school.