Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 374: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has received an application from a school (details supplied) in Dublin 6 for funding towards a school age child care facility under the recently announced equal opportunities child care programme; if the application has been evaluated; the amount of grant allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28347/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform makes funding available for school age child care services as part of the equal opportunities child care programme, EOCP, 2000 to 2006. In June 2005, I announced the publication of a report of a working group of the national child care co-ordinating committee, entitled School Age Childcare in Ireland.

The report makes a number of recommend-ations for the development of school age child care to support the child care needs of parents, including the use of school premises, where appropriate, as a location to develop a quality school age child care service. It also lays down guidelines for the delivery of a quality service. It is hoped that the publication of the report will give greater impetus to the future development of school age child care at local level.

An application for capital grant assistance under the EOCP was submitted to my Department by the school referred to by the Deputy in July 2005. The capital grant application was forwarded to Area Development Management, ADM. Limited, which is engaged by my Department to carry out detailed assessments of all EOCP grant applications. Each application undergoes a thorough assessment by ADM to ensure it meets the EOCP funding criteria.

I understand that this capital application is currently under assessment. When the assessment of the project in question is completed, the application will then be considered by the programme appraisal committee, chaired by my Department, before a final decision is made regarding funding. The school will be informed of the outcome of this process in due course.