Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for giving me the opportunity to raise this issue on the Adjournment.

Last Friday, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform announced that approximately €2.5 million of capital and staffing grants were to be made available for several child care projects. While it seems a good news story, when read between the lines it is disappointing for those who provide child care services, particularly those in disadvantaged communities. The parents in such communities only have one opportunity to see their children cared for in such a fashion. For the past three years, the 36 community child care services in Cork city and the 12 in the greater Cork area have been in receipt of staffing grants from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. However, at the end of last year in December 2004, a letter issued to all these voluntary and community-based child care providers stating that funding would only be in place on a roll over basis until 31 August 2005. This has contributed to a great deal of uncertainty in the provision of the service, low staff morale and a great deal of fear among the parents of children catered for in this way, because they will not be able to cater for their child care needs in the commercial sector.

The announcement of these capital and staffing grants has been greeted with a great deal of derision despite the suggestion that disadvantaged communities would be catered for. Not one allocation has been made in Cork city despite the suggestion that particular emphasis would be placed on communities rated as RAPID or CLÁR communities. In the four RAPID communities in the Cork city area, including one in my constituency, none received an allocation.

It is unfortunate the response to this Adjournment matter will be from a Minister of State who is not even attached to the Department concerned. I hope by placing my concerns on the record, we will at least get a more honest response from the Government because hidden in the detail of the press release issued last Friday was an indication that of the promised €90 million for child care — that is, for current and capital expenditure and other associated costs —€50 million has been spent to date by the Government. It seems the largest part of the remaining €40 million and the additional money the Government has promised in a ten year envelope will not come on stream until 2007.

As an Opposition Member, I must admit that I can only treat such an announcement cynically. Given the importance of child care, decisions will be made to remove services now but to introduce additional funding in the run up to the next general election. If that is the Government's strategy, it is letting down many disadvantaged communities, child care service providers and the parents and children who depend on the barely adequate infrastructure that exists.

The Minister of State, Deputy Browne, is hardly in a position to reply comprehensively to the issues I raised but I hope he will communicate them to his colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, or, if he is able to find him, to the senior Minister if his ego rush has eased down in recent days. As the senior Minister in that Department, he has an overall responsibility to meet a need that everyone in this Houses accepts must be met. I am very angry the Department, with this latest small tranche of additional funding, has caused disappointment and confusion about Government policy in this area. I would like a response as to how child care service needs will be met and properly resourced in my constituency and in the greater Cork area.

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