Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 619: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the criteria for funding under the national childcare investment programme; the timeframe for and the details of the programme; if the staffing grants will continue to be funded under the programme; if EOCP funding will continue until the NCIP is in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43696/06]

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 came into effect from 1 January 2006, with an allocation of €575 million for the 5 year period of 2006 to 2010. The NCIP is a key element of the National Childcare Strategy 2006-2010, the aim of which is to deliver a more comprehensive approach to early years care and education. The NCIP is designed to deliver 50,000 additional childcare places, with a greater focus on pre-school places for 3 to 4 year olds and school age childcare. Childcare places are provided either through community based/not for profit childcare groups or by private providers. Capital grant applications under the NCIP are assessed under a number of criteria; chiefly the nature and extent of the need locally for the service proposed, the applicant's capacity to deliver the project proposed and value for money. All proposals are expected to demonstrate how they will increase the supply of quality childcare, and furthermore, community projects are expected to have a focus on disadvantage.

Under the EOCP support is provided towards the staffing costs of employing childcare workers in community based childcare centres in disadvantaged areas, ensuring that less advantaged parents in those areas have access to quality childcare in order to facilitate access to education, training and employment opportunities. Staffing grants under the EOCP have been extended to the 31 December 2007 for all groups who are meeting the terms of their existing staffing grant contracts. A new programme of staffing grants under the NCIP is expected to be announced in 2007 and will be informed by the outcome of a Value for Money Review of the EOCP which is currently in progress. The Review is expected to be completed in the first half of 2007 following which the procedures and criteria governing the new grant scheme will be made available both generally and to existing staffing grant recipients.