Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 956: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the future position regarding staffing grants for community-based child care centres; if and when a review of this funding beyond 2007 will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24819/05]

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

As the Deputy may be aware, the equal opportunities child care programme 2000 to 2006 provides staffing grant assistance towards the staffing costs of community-based or not-for-profit child care services which have a clear focus on disadvantage.

To date, I have approved over €447 million in capital, staffing and quality improvement grants. Of that, a total of almost €160 million has been approved to date under the staffing measure of the EOCP. It is anticipated that the funding will lead to the creation of 9,451 new child care places and will support a further 14,132 existing places.

Following a detailed review of the existing staffing grants under the EOCP, my Department recently extended the terms of the grants, to the end of December 2007, to groups which have received staffing grants for a period of three or more years and which continue to deliver a child care service in accordance with their pre-agreed targets. To benefit from such funding, the groups must continue to pay particular attention to the support of disadvantaged families and the implementation of a fee structure tailored to the differing economic circumstances of the client group and which ensures that child care places subsidised by the EOCP are targeted towards those most in need.

The issue of a follow-on programme to the EOCP is currently under consideration by a high level group which is being chaired by the National Children's Office. Pending finalisation of the highlevel group report and its consideration by the Government in due course, it would be premature of me to comment any further regarding the issue raised by the Deputy.