Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 263: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of grant support that has been committed in the past five years under the equal opportunities child care programme for the categories capital and staffing grants for community based child care provision. [31225/05]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 264: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of equal opportunities child care programme grant support that has been committed in the past five years under the quality sub-measure. [31226/05]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together.

The current seven-year Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, EOCP, 2000-2006 has an equal opportunities and social inclusion perspective and facilitates the further development and expansion of child care facilities, to address the needs of parents in reconciling their child care needs with their participation in employment, education and training. The first grants allocated under this programme date from July 2000. The total funding committed under the EOCP to date is more than €458 million, of which more than €402.7 million has been allocated to child care facilities, with more than € 209 million of this having been allocated to community based projects under the capital sub-measure, and a further €164.9 million committed under the staffing sub-measure to community-based projects with a strong focus on disadvantage. Under the quality sub-measure, more than €55.3 million has been allocated to promote quality in the child care sector, largely through funding to the city and county child care committees and the national voluntary child care organisations.

In 2004 my Department published a comprehensive review of progress under the EOCP entitled, Developing Childcare in Ireland, which was circulated to all Members of the Oireachtas. This was also posted on the Department's web site at www.justice.ie and more detailed information regarding the programme to the end of 2003 is included in this report. I have arranged for another copy of this report to be sent to the Deputy. An updated version of this review, covering progress to the end of 2004, is expected to be available shortly and will be posted on the Department's web site as well as being circulated to interested parties, including Members of the Oireachtas.