Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 298: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the research carried out in an area when a community based child care unit is being set up; if her Department have an input into the research or if it is just carried out by the community provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40681/06]

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.

The NCIP aims to provide a proactive response to the development of quality childcare supports and services, which are grounded in an understanding of local needs. The Programme has a budget of €575 million for the 5 year period 2006-2010, with a target to create 50,000 additional childcare places and with a greater focus on pre-school places for 3 to 4 year olds and school age childcare. The 50,000 new places will include 5,000 after school places and 10,000 pre-school education places aimed at 3 to 4 year olds.

All applications, including those by community based childcare groups as referred to in the question, submitted under these Programmes, undergo a thorough assessment to ensure they meet the criteria of the Programmes. In this regard, the officials in the Office of the Minister for Children are assisted in the day to day management of the programme by Pobal. In addition, the network of 33 City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) which were established under the EOCP assist the assessment process at local level. The programme criteria include the creation of new childcare places, value for money, the capacity of the Group to deliver on its proposal and whether duplication or displacement of existing services may occur. When a Group requests staffing grant assistance under the EOCP, a strong focus on disadvantage is also required in order for the proposal to receive such funding.

The role of the CCCs has been further enhanced under the NCIP 2006-2010 to enable greater flexibility and responsiveness to local needs, supported by the provision of additional funding for the implementation of their 2006 Action Plans and the recruitment of additional staff. This role involves, inter alia, the assessment of childcare needs across their City or County, and supporting the development of quality childcare in areas where there are service gaps. Under both Programmes, the CCCs play a key role in assessing each proposal for displacement or duplication. Applications considered likely to result in significant displacement or duplication are not recommended for funding.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 299: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a private child care crèche provider who has received grant assistance to set up has to cease due to lack of demand and over concentration of providers in an area has to run their business at a loss for the remainder of their contract; if this grant assistance will have to be returned in full if the crèche ceases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40683/06]

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.

All applications under the EOCP are forwarded to Pobal, which is engaged to carry out detailed assessments on behalf of my Office. Due consideration is given to each proposal in order to avoid duplication and displacement of other childcare services in the area, and if a significant risk of such duplication or displacement is likely to arise, the grant will not be awarded.

The City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) play a key role in this process. Under the NCIP, each proposal is submitted to the CCC, which are tasked with the development of quality childcare in their City or County.

Under both the EOCP and the NCIP, capital grants are available for the purchase, extension and for refurbishment of buildings, for the purpose of increasing the supply of quality childcare. If a grant recipient fails to meet the conditions attached to his or her contractual agreement with Pobal, a decommitment and recovery process commences where monies paid to the grant recipient are recouped. This process is agreed by the Programme Appraisal Committee, before a decision is made regarding the decommittal of funding by the Secretary General of the Department of Health and Children.

Contracts under the EOCP issued by Pobal to private childcare providers state, inter alia, that: The Provider agrees to operate the grant project for a minimum period until a date falling 2, 5, 7 (delete as appropriate) years from the date of last payment by Pobal of an instalment of the grant. The periods referred to are: 2 years in the case of a grant of €19,045 or less; 5 years in the case of a grant between €19,045-€36,821 and; 7 years in the case of a grant between €36,821 and €50,790 (€50,790 being the maximum grant available under the EOCP).

Each such case is examined on its merits and I cannot comment in advance on what would happen in an individual case.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 300: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the system in place for the allocation of grants to community child care centres in relation to location and potential consequences for overlapping with private child care crèches; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40685/06]

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.

The NCIP aims to provide a proactive response to the development of quality childcare supports and services, which are grounded in an understanding of local needs. The Programme has a budget of €575 million for the 5 year period 2006-2010, with a target to create 50,000 additional childcare places and with a greater focus on pre-school places for 3 to year olds and school age childcare. The 50,000 new places will include 5,000 after school places and 10,000 pre-school education places aimed at 3 to 4 year olds.

All applications, including those by community based childcare groups as referred to in the question, submitted under these Programmes, undergo a thorough assessment to ensure they meet the criteria of the Programmes. Such criteria include the creation of new childcare places, value for money, the capacity of the Group to deliver on its proposal and whether duplication or displacement of existing services may occur. When a Group requests staffing grant assistance under the EOCP, a strong focus on disadvantage is also required in order for the proposal to receive such funding.

The City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) play a key role in the implementation of the NCIP 2006-2010, to enable greater flexibility and responsiveness to local needs. As a result, additional funding has been allocated for the implementation of their 2006 Supplementary Action Plans and the recruitment of additional staff to take account of the CCCs' expanded role under the NCIP. This role involves, inter alia, the assessment of childcare needs across their City or County, and supporting the development of quality childcare in areas where there are service gaps. Under both Programmes, the CCCs play a key role in assessing each proposal for displacement or duplication. Applications considered likely to result in significant displacement or duplication are not recommended for funding.