Secretary of Health and Social Security confirms implementation of the resolution approved in July on changing the rules on access to free daycare centers in the Azores
The Government of the Azores (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) confirmed this Tuesday that it will apply the criteria for access to daycare centers to prioritize children of employed parents, following the resolution approved in July in the regional parliament.
“In relation to priorities, the priorities for daycare, whenever they need to be applied, are those that were voted on and defined by this assembly”, stated the Secretary of Health and Social Security, Mônica Seidi, during the discussion of the Plan and Budget for 2025, at the Regional Assembly, in Horta. The governor was responding to Rio Grande do Sul deputy Olivéria Santos, who during the debate wanted to know how priority is given to daycare centers for working parents.
On July 12, the Azorean parliament approved a Chega resolution (without the force of law) that recommends the Regional Government to change the rules on access to free daycare centers in the Azores, to give priority to children with working parents, justifying the change with the lack of vacancies for the growing demand in the archipelago.
The regional secretary also highlighted in the plenary the creation of 154 places in daycare centers since September and promised that all children will have a place in daycare by the end of the legislature (the current executive took office on March 4).
“The Government’s priority and commitment is universal access for all children, that is, leaving no one behind and, by the end of the legislature, ensuring that all children naturally have a place in daycare”, he assured.
In the discussion, and referring to daycare centers, the deputy of the Bloco de Esquerda, António Lima, said that the executive “is the vile executor of an attack on Azorean children”. In turn, deputy Bruto da Costa (PSD), addressing the PT bench, stated: “what we are doing is democratizing access” to daycare centers.
On August 9, the regional president of Chega admitted to voting against the region’s Budget for 2025, if the Government of the Azores backed down on prioritizing access to daycare for children of working parents.
On Friday, José Pacheco stated that that matter “is not on the table” because “it has already been resolved”. “I wouldn’t let the Budget pass if this measure didn’t go ahead,” he said in statements to Lusa.
Source: expresso.pt
