The free childcare system which went into effect in April last year had cost €5.2 million by the end of the year and benefited 3,857 children.

Answering a PQ by government MP Anthony Agius Decelis, Employment Minister Evarist Bartolo said he was not in a position to say how many families had benefitted, but a digital childcare information system was being implemented which would provide such answers.

In reply to another question by Mr Agius Decelis, the minister said that the Breakfast Club, which had also got under way in April 2014, had been attended by 700 children a day until June.

The service had been restarted for the current scholastic year, with 950 children attending daily until the end of December.

The financial outlay amounted to €295,458, which included the purchase of food and staff salaries. The figure did not include salaries for the last two months of 2014.

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