Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 330: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the new national child care investment programme; if staffing grants for community based child care centres will continue under the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12619/07]

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.

A new programme of staffing grants under the NCIP is 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, as will application forms for the new scheme. This will be done in good time to allow an orderly transition from the EOCP to the NCIP, on 1 January 2008.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 331: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the steps she has taken to ensure that there is no delay in the provision of ongoing funding for child care facilities previously funded by the equal opportunities child care programme; the further steps she is taking to make the child care facilities that were previously funded by EPOC aware of the new criteria for funding under the National Child Care Investment Programme; when application forms will be issued for funding under NCIP; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12627/07]

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.

A new programme of staffing grants under the NCIP is 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, as will application forms for the new scheme. This will be done in good time to allow an orderly transition from the EOCP to the NCIP, on 1 January 2008.