Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 313: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the provision of a grant towards child care facilities under the equal opportunities childcare programme for a group (details supplied) in County Limerick. [3115/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I understand that an application for capital grant assistance under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, EOCP, 2000-2006 was submitted by the group to my Department some time ago. The EOCP is a seven year development programme which aims to increase the availability and quality of child care to support parents in employment, education and training.

The level of demand for capital grant assistance was such that I considered it important to increase the capital provision for the current programme. Following discussions with my colleague, the Minister for Finance, an additional capital provision of €90 million was made available over the period 2005-2009, in the context of the 2005 budget. Of this amount, €50 million is being made available under the current programme and the remaining €40 million will flow under the next phase of the post 2006 EOCP. This augments the increased EU funding of some €12 million made available last year in recognition of the progress of the programme. This brings the total funding available for the programme to €499.3 million and now includes an increased provision for capital developments for which €205 million has been set aside. In December 2004, I announced an allocation of almost €35 million in capital funding to community based not for profit groups.

The availability of the additional capital funding will enable me to make further capital grant assistance available over the coming months and years to groups which address significant child care service gaps and where the project proposal represents good value for money when considered in relation to the current guidelines on building costs. In the light of this, the group in question has been advised that while its project had not been prioritised for immediate funding in December 2004, it will be reconsidered in the future, and I hope to make further significant capital commitments during 2005 and thereafter.

The ongoing appraisal of the applications in the pipeline will be concluded as speedily as possible to facilitate the development of additional child care facilities and places at the earliest opportunity. When the appraisal on the project in question is completed, the application will then be considered by the programme appraisal committee, PAC, chaired by my Department, before I make a final decision. In the interim, it would be premature of me to comment further on this application.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 314: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the provision of funding for the construction of a community based child care facility by an organisation (details supplied) in County Limerick. [3116/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I understand that an application for capital grant assistance under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, EOCP, 2000-2006 was submitted by the group to my Department in August 2004. The EOCP is a seven year development programme which aims to increase the availability and quality of child care to support parents in employment, education and training.

The level of demand for capital grant assistance was such that I considered it important to increase the capital provision for the present programme. Following discussions with my colleague, the Minister for Finance, an additional capital provision of €90 million was made available over the period 2005 to 2009, in the context of the 2005 budget. Of this amount, €50 million is being made available under the current programme and the remaining €40 million will flow under the next phase of the post 2006 EOCP. This augments the increased EU funding of some €12 million made available last year in recognition of the progress of the programme. This brings the total funding available for the programme to €499.3 million and now includes an increased provision for capital developments for which €205 million has been set aside. In December 2004, I announced an allocation of almost €35 million in capital funding to community based not for profit groups.

The availability of the additional capital funding will enable me to make further capital grant assistance available over the coming months and years to groups which address significant child care service gaps and where the project proposal represents good value for money when considered in relation to the current guidelines on building costs. In the light of this, the group in question has been advised that while its project had not been prioritised for immediate funding in December 2004, it will be reconsidered in the future, and that I hope to make further significant capital commitments during 2005 and thereafter.

The ongoing appraisal of the applications in the pipeline will be concluded as speedily as possible to facilitate the development of additional child care facilities and places at the earliest opportunity. When the appraisal on the project in question is completed, the application will then be considered by the programme appraisal committee, PAC, chaired by my Department, before I make a final decision. In the interim, it would be premature of me to comment further on this application.