Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am making a significant start in implementing the programme today by providing €317 million in the 2006 budget for this purpose. The cost will increase to more than €600 million a year by 2008.

Supply measures

I am providing for a number of measures which will increase the supply of child care places. As part of the overall child care strategy I am today announcing a major new five-year national child care investment programme which will run from 2006 to 2010 and will support the creation of an extra 50,000 child care places. This will be achieved through enhanced capital grant aid to private providers, the limit for which will double to €100,000——

See this speech in context