Written answers

Thursday, 24 February 2005

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Child Care Services

5:00 pm

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of grant aid given over the past eight years to assist the provision of privately owned crèche facilities; the figure for the corresponding period for County Laois; the amount of grant aid that has been given over the past eight years to assist the provision of community or publicly owned crèche facilities throughout the State; and the figure for the corresponding period for County Laois. [6471/05]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The eight year period the Deputy is inquiring about spans two separate programmes, the most recent of which, the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, EOCP, 2000-2006, is a seven year child care development programme.

The earlier child care funding from my Department, up to 1999, made available a range of supports for community-based child care, including capital funding for over 100 community-based child care services. Prior to 2000, the amount expended in respect of child care funding from my Department was €14.1 million, of which €139,671 was made available to four community-based and partnership projects in County Laois.

The EOCP 2000-2006 is a demand-led grant programme with a total budget of €499 million over the period of the national development plan. My Department first called for applications in April 2000 and continues to accept applications from child care providers across the country.

The EOCP 2000-2006 makes available capital and staffing funding for community-based or not-for-profit child care services. Also, the EOCP 2000-2006 introduced a capital grant for private sector child care providers which provides a maximum of €50,790 for building work to or equipment for a privately operated child care service. Further funding is provided to develop the capacity of the child care sector. This includes annual funding for city and county child care committees which have a role in supporting child care actions at local level.

I understand that, under the EOCP 2000-2006, my Department has already made €257.3 million available in capital and staffing grant assistance to child care services nationwide between the launch of the programme in 2000 and the end of 2004.

Of this total, €25.4 million was provided to private sector child care services in the form of capital grants. A total of €127.6 million in capital grant assistance and €104.2 million in staffing grant assistance was provided to community-based and voluntary child care services.

Staffing grant assistance is normally approved for a three year period and much of the remaining current funding is required for ongoing supports to groups providing child care services to disadvantaged families to enable them to participate in employment, education and training opportunities.

In respect of County Laois, I understand that, under the EOCP 2000-2006, €4.6 million was made available to child care services over the same period. Private sector child care services in County Laois had €700,000 made available in the form of capital grants. A total of €2.2 million in capital grants and €1.7 million in staffing grant assistance has been made available to community-based and voluntary child care services.

It may interest the Deputy to know that my colleague the Minister for Finance announced additional capital funding for child care in the budget for 2005. This announcement increased the funding available to my Department for child care to €499 million over the life of the national development plan. The funding announced also provided a further €40 million of capital funding for the period from the end of the national development plan to 2009.

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