Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the status of a capital grant (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6976/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Service Executive has responsibility for the provision of capital funding to local services including the matter referred to in the Deputy's question. 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.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a group (details supplied) in County Mayo will be approved and granted a staffing grant in order that the facility can open. [6980/07]

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.

Under the EOCP support is provided towards the staffing costs of employing childcare workers in community based childcare facilities 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 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.

The Group in question applied for staffing grant assistance under the EOCP. As part of the process of closing the EOCP, all groups approved funding were required to enter into contract with Pobal, who administer the grants on my office's behalf, by 31 December 2006. Following a recent appraisal of the application by the Programme Appraisal Committee, the application was not recommended for funding under the EOCP, as it could not meet the contractual timeframe of end December 2006. It was recommended that the Group develop their proposal under the NCIP when staffing guidelines are available. I understand that the Childcare Directorate of the my office has informed the group of this decision.