Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 310: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views with regard to having the grant level increased in response to submissions made to her at a meeting (details supplied). [36482/06]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), which are being implemented by the Office of the Minister for Children.

As I recently advised the Deputy, the Group in question has been provisionally approved capital funding of €1.4 million under the EOCP in respect of a proposal to develop a childcare facility. This funding is approved subject to the Group concluding a satisfactory contractual agreement with Pobal, which is engaged to administer the grants on behalf of the Office of the Minister for Children.

Following my meeting with the Group in June 2006 to discuss the amount of capital funding provisionally approved in line with the programme criteria, I understand from enquiries I have made that revised plans for the proposal have been submitted by the Group to Pobal and that discussions are continuing with a view to bringing the project to contract. However I understand that, to date, the Group has not submitted a formal request for further EOCP funding of their capital project.