Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will urgently review the application by a group (details supplied) in County Mayo for staffing grant assistance for a community child-care group; if her attention has been drawn to the voluntary work already carried out by this group, with an approved building ready to commence business and with children waiting to attend this necessary facility; her views on whether preschool education is essential with a majority of children in this area having to attend national school without having attended preschool; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8013/07]

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 introduction of the NCIP in January 2006, prior to the closure of the EOCP, has facilitated applicants unable to meet the end of EOCP deadlines for grant assistance by providing an alternative source of grant aid for child care provision.

With an allocation of €575 million for the 5 year period of 2006-2010, the NCIP is a key element of the National Childcare Strategy 2006-2010. The NCIP aims to deliver a more comprehensive approach to early years care and education and to deliver 50,000 additional child care places, with a greater focus on pre-school places for 3-4 year olds and school age child care.

Support towards the staffing costs of employing child care workers, in community based child care facilities in disadvantaged areas, was provided under the EOCP and 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 later this year 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.

With regard to the Group in question, I understand that they were recently informed by the Childcare Directorate of my Office that their application for staffing grant assistance under the EOCP was being refused, as the application could not meet the end 2006 timeframe for entering into contract under the EOCP. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that this position has been reviewed in the case of EOCP staffing grant applicants who have already entered into contract in respect of a linked EOCP capital grant, and who are due to open new child care facilities in advance of the introduction of the proposed new programme of staffing grants under the NCIP. As a result, subject to the availability of EOCP funding for this purpose, applications for EOCP staffing grant assistance will continue to be considered in the circumstances outlined.

I have asked officials in the Childcare Directorate of my Office to contact the Group in question, along with a number of other Groups in similar circumstances, at the earliest opportunity to advise them of the position in regard to their grant application.