Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding proposals to financially assist the childhood development initiative in Tallaght West; if her attention has been drawn to the importance of this project for the local community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6360/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Tallaght West project, A Place for Children. Tallaght West is a strategy built on strong community engagement, with a focus on improving the health, safety and learning of the children of the area.

In 2006 I announced the Government's commitment to co-fund an innovative programme of prevention and early intervention for children. This Prevention and Early Intervention Programme is being run for a five-year period and will have a fund amounting to €36 million in total, half of which will be provided by Government and half by The Atlantic Philanthropies. The Programme is being managed by my Office, the Office of the Minister for Children (OMC) and administration of the fund is also overseen by it.

Three projects (Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative, Young Ballymun and Northside Partnership) were invited to submit proposals to the OMC under the Programme. I am pleased to confirm that the three projects, including Tallaght West CDI were successful. An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern T.D. will announce the signing of service level agreements between the OMC and the three projects at An Cosán, Tallaght West on Friday 23rd February 2007.

The Prevention and Early Intervention Programme will examine innovative methods for improving outcomes for children in an integrated way. The intention is to ensure that local services connect effectively with one another, making them more focused on the multiple needs of children and families. The strategy will also provide for some new services and the re-orientation of existing services in the identified area to meet the specified needs of the community. Apart from the impact on the community in Tallaght, the monitoring and evaluation of this and related projects should help to guide the development of services into the future.