Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We announced the €10 million modernisation scheme approximately one month ago. The best thing the provider could do is to engage with the Kilkenny County Childcare Committee with regard to making an application under that scheme. I understand what the Deputy is saying. Many community providers do not own their facility. Many community facilities are located in rented accommodation. I certainly will bear that in mind in designing the scheme for the capacity expansion grant, which is the larger grant scheme. I hope to open that later next year and funding will be then available. Previously, the Department had not done significant capital investment. It had a couple of million each year but now we have far more in the national development plan, NDP, which is positive, and we have to build up our capacity to get that money out to services. We will be getting many applications in, judging which are the best applications and targeting, particularly to the areas where we need expanded capacity.

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