Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a school (details supplied) in Dublin 10 can obtain funding for the preschool overheads in order that no charge will be imposed on the disadvantaged parents of the area and to give equality with the early start schools operating in the greater Ballyfermot area. [41299/06]

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 Investment 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. Capital grant assistance is available to both community based/not for profit organisations and private sector child care providers to build, renovate, or equip child care services where a proposal meets with the programme objectives. In areas of significant disadvantage staffing grants are available to community based groups providing child care services which meet the needs of disadvantaged parents. To benefit from staffing funding, groups must pay particular attention to supporting disadvantaged families and to the implementation of a fee policy tailored to the differing economic circumstances of their client group, thereby ensuring that child care places are targeted at those most in need.

I understand from enquiries I have made that the Group in question was provisionally approved €100,000 over 16 months in staffing grant assistance under the EOCP in August of this year. This funding is approved subject to the Group concluding a satisfactory contractual agreement by the end of 2006 with Pobal, which is engaged to administer the grants on behalf of the Office of the Minister for Children. I also understand that, to date, the Group has not submitted any further formal requests for funding under the EOCP or the NCIP.

Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide €10,000 to finance the start costs for the provision of tables, chairs, knives, forks and other accoutrements for the canteen in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 10. [41308/06]

Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 273: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide a report on a national lottery and Health Service Executive application for funds for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 10 to staff the toddler and baby care units with child care staff. [41306/06]

Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 274: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will expedite the provision by the Health Service Executive of a supervisor for the care unit in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 10. [41307/06]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 237, 273 and 274 together.

In 2006, total health funding is €13.147 billion, which represents an underlying increase of 12.04% over 2005. The vast bulk of this funding is provided under the vote of the Health Service Executive which has statutory responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services. This continuing high level of investment by the Government provides the Executive with considerable capacity to address the healthcare needs of the population in the most effective manner.

Funding for all health services has been provided as part of the Executive's overall vote for health and personal social services in 2006. The allocation of resources in the case raised by the Deputy is a matter for the Executive to be determined within the overall priorities for particular services set out by me in the Budget. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.