Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I raised the issue of the Raphoe community playgroup a number of times last year. I had commitments from the Minister that funding would be available. The Tánaiste met the group. We were told funding would be available. It applied for the funding it was told to apply for but it has not been granted the funding. It has written to the Tánaiste and he has responded that the council rather than the group owns the land. Despite the fact it has a 22-year lease, it cannot rebuild the community playschool.

Why is this important? This is a community group funded by the EU and fundraising money. Its building has defective blocks and is condemned. Currently, the playgroup is in another building that is not fit for purpose. It has to take the tables and chairs and put them in a shed every evening. It is not acceptable. This was not something of the group's making. Defective blocks got onto the market because of a lack of regulation during successive Governments. Now, the funding the group was told would be there to help it rebuild its premises has been refused to it. How many times do we have to raise this issue? The Government has made pledges on community childcare facilities. There is a serious issue with childcare. This community group tells us it will not be able to function next year unless it gets the funding to rebuild the playgroup. Will the Tánaiste please intervene, knock some heads together and give this group the money it needs to rebuild a community playschool that is falling apart because of defective blocks?

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