Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 578: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason the Dublin City Childcare Committee is still awaiting additional funding under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 to fulfil its programme objectives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22041/05]

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 581: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason the agreed resources from the equal opportunities childcare programme have not been made available to Dublin City to establish local childcare resource centres in Dublin Central; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22060/05]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 593: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the concept of child care resource centres in each of the five areas of Dublin City Council; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the current budget to the Dublin city committee has left areas without such a resource centre; and if he will consider an additional allocation to the committee to meet the need. [22258/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 578, 581 and 593 together.

Dublin City Childcare Committee is one of the 33 city-county child care committees, CCCs, established as part of the quality sub-measure of the equal opportunities child care programme in order to promote better co-ordination and enhanced quality for the child care sector. As with all the CCCs, Dublin City Childcare Committee was tasked to develop a five year, locally focused child care strategy and was advised that it could expect an annual funding budget of between €292,000 and €318,500 to meet the costs of delivering the strategy through a pre-agreed series of annual action plans. Unlike the other CCCs, the Dublin City Childcare Committee opted to put in place a devolved administrative structure with five separate centres and sought additional funds under the EOCP for this purpose. It contracted out one such administrative structure in respect of which initial and additional funding of €125,000 was provided to cover a 15 month period. A further grant of €100,000 was provided for the same purpose in 2005. At the same time, the level of core funding provided to the Dublin City Childcare Committee to deliver its 2005 action plan was increased to €344,000 making a total of €444,000 available to the Dublin City Childcare Committee for its core activities in 2005 — an increase of some 39% above its earlier upper indicative budget. In addition to this core funding Dublin City Childcare Committee has also received considerable funding to enable it to offer a programme of supports for the development of child minders.

I understand three local child care resource centres have already been established by the Dublin Committee in Dublin North-Central, Dublin North-West and Dublin South-Central and that the committee would wish to establish two more and are seeking an increase in its funding. This request is still under active consideration in my Department.

Pending the conclusion of this review, it would be premature of me to comment further on the matter at this time.

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 579: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the application by a group (details supplied) for funding under the EOCP will be determined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22042/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

On 22 June 2005, I approved capital grant assistance of €1.5 million under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, EOCP, 2000 — 2006, in respect of an application from the group in question. This approval is subject to the group's satisfactory compliance with a number of conditions in relation to the development and completion of the project. I understand the group has been advised of my decision, by the child care directorate of my Department.

Area Development Management Limited, which is engaged to administer the EOCP on my behalf will be in contact directly with the group, regarding the conclusion of a contractual agreement necessary in order to draw down the grant.