Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 305: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if an essential staffing grant will be awarded to a play-school (details supplied) in County Mayo; her views on whether a preschool education is essential; her further views on the fact that there will be a large number of children starting school in this area in September 2007 without preschool experience; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12516/07]

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 NCIP is a key element of the National Childcare Strategy 2006-2010 and is effective from 1 January 2006. Unlike the existing EOCP, the NCIP is entirely Exchequer funded. The decision of the Government to create a major new 5 year investment programme immediately, rather than wait until the EOCP expired, is evidence of the Government's commitment to the provision of quality child care.

The NCIP aims to provide a proactive response to the development of quality child care. supports and services, which are grounded in an understanding of local needs. The Programme has a budget of €575 million for the 5 year period 2006-2010, with a target to create 50,000 additional child care. places with a greater focus on preschool places for 3 to 4 year olds and school age child care. The 50,000 new places will include 10,000 preschool education places aimed at 3 to 4 year olds. This commitment is a clear recognition by the Government of the value of preschool education, and it will assist parents to avail of the benefits of preschool education for their children.

As part of the process of closing the EOCP, the final date for reaching contract stage, for Groups applying for funding under this programme, was 31 December 2006. As the Deputy will be aware, the EOCP is co-funded by the European Union and timescales agreed with the Commission must be observed as financial penalties will accrue to the State if they are not. The Group in question submitted their application to Pobal, which is engaged to assess EOCP and NCIP grants on behalf of my Office, in October 2006. Final information required to complete the assessment was received by Pobal from the Group on 6 December 2006. As it was not possible at that stage for the application to be brought through the assessment and appraisal process and to contract stage by 31 December 2006, it was recommended by the Programme Appraisal Committee that the Group's application under that Programme be declined and that the application be considered in the context of the forthcoming NCIP staffing grant scheme. The Secretary General of the Department concurred with this recommendation.

In certain circumstances, including where an application is linked to a previous EOCP capital grant, applications for staffing grant assistance are continuing to be considered under the EOCP and, subject to the outcome of a review in each case, the applicants will be advised of the position as soon as possible. In the case of other Groups such as that referred to by the Deputy, which have been declined staffing grant funding under the EOCP as a result of being unable to meet the contractual deadlines of that Programme, and whose applications were not linked to a previous EOCP capital grant, the review of their applications for staffing grant funding will be undertaken as soon as the details of the new NCIP staffing grant scheme are announced. In each case, the review will be undertaken as quickly as possible to facilitate the Group concerned. Officials in my Office will be in contact with the Group in due course to inform them of the outcome of that review.