John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 523: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason VETOS grants for child care for single mothers apply only to children under the age of five; if she intends to change same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31881/05]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 587: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will provide the list of grants available to single mothers to get back into education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31878/05]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 588: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if there are grants and subsidies available for child care for single women who wish to get back into education; if so, if she will list the criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31879/05]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 589: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason VETOS grants for child care for single mothers apply only to children under the age of five; if she intends to change some; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31880/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 523 and 587 to 589, inclusive, together.

To facilitate the participation of people with childcare responsibilities in further education, my Department provides funding to VECs to assist toward the child care expenses of participants in certain further education programmes. These are the vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS, Youthreach and senior traveller training centre programmes.

The administration of these grants is a matter for individual VECs. Students in the relevant programmes who feel entitled to such grants should apply to their VECs. The disbursement of the grants is a matter for each VEC. The funds provide for the direct provision of crèche facilities in centres, or in rented premises, including staff, equipment, refurbishment, rental, insurance and other overheads and the purchase of places in existing community or commercial crèches. This is subject to payment of a maximum of €63.50 per week per child for a full day session, with pro rata adjustments for sessions of lesser duration. They also provide for the payment of childminders, subject to a maximum of €63.50 per child per week for a full session, with pro rata adjustments for part-time sessions.

The grant is intended to be a contribution to costs. VECs determine the level of child care provision and have the discretion to bridge any gap between the Department's grant and actual costs they approve. Towards this end, the imposition of an age limit on children applying for child care is at the discretion of the VECs.