Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We are making plans for capital investment in 2019. While the amount of funding is important, of equal importance is what we do with that money and the way in which we target it to best meet identified needs. Pobal and the Department are engaged in ongoing research and monitoring. The Deputy and other Deputies also do great work in letting us know where gaps exist and where there is local need, so that we can match what we have to invest with those needs. We are on target to identify the plans for 2019 and we have some idea of figures.

I remind the Deputy that childcare was identified as a strategic priority in the national development plan, NDP. I have negotiated €215 million to be provided for additional capital investment over the lifetime of the plan, particularly in its mid to later years. The NDP provides us with an opportunity to increase the scale of our investment.

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