Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 347: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the provision of State funding for the staffing of a number of community-based not-for-profit child care centres in County Kerry; if State funding for staffing will be available to these centres from August 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12839/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The overall position in regard to County Kerry is that, to date, I have approved 63 staffing grants totalling over €7.2 million, under the equal opportunities child care programme, EOCP, for 2000 to 2006. The EOCP provides grant assistance towards the staffing costs of community-based and not-for-profit child care services which have a clear focus on disadvantage and which can demonstrate they are supporting disadvantaged parents to access employment, education or training. It is not intended that the EOCP funding would meet the full costs of running a service and the additional staffing and other running costs must be met from fees and other sources.

Staffing grants are normally made available for three years in the first instance. As the Deputy may be aware, I have approved the continuation of the existing levels of staffing grant assistance until 31 August 2005 for all groups whose first three-year funding has elapsed and who have shown that they are continuing to deliver child care services in accordance with their targets.

In a number of services, the levels of disadvantage among parents are such that the families would be unable to pay full economic fees and therefore those services require ongoing State assistance towards their staffing costs if they are to continue to support parents who are trying to break away from the cycle of disadvantage through education, training or employment. My Department is reviewing the arrangements for the ongoing support of such services where necessary. Final discussions on the review are taking place at present and I expect the outcome of the review will be forwarded to the groups in question shortly.