Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 274: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason an EOCP grant has been withheld from a group (details supplied) in County Cork; and if this grant will be restored. [6400/07]

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 group in question were approved an indicative amount of €250,000 in capital grant assistance under the EOCP in November 2005, towards the purchase and fit out of a premises for use as a childcare service. As the Group had difficulty in securing a premises, their application did not progress to contract stage and draw down of the grant. As a result, the Group was unable to meet the contractual deadline of 31 December 2006 for EOCP grant applicants and it was necessary to advise them in January 2007 that the indicative funding approved for their project had been withdrawn and, for the same reason, it was not possible to consider their request for additional capital funding for the project, as requested by them in October 2006, under the EOCP.

I understand that the Group was also advised that it is open to them to have their previous application admitted into the NCIP and that, subject to confirmation from them that they wish this to be the case, account will be taken of all relevant preparatory work undertaken by them as part of the EOCP process.