Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 272: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the amount of funding provided to an organisation (details supplied) in each of the past three years; the way in which the amount of funding is determined; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the current level of funding is inadequate to meet the demands placed on the service; her policy on providing this funding on a multi-annual basis; the Estimate subhead from which funds are drawn for this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14542/07]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 273: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the amount of funding provided to an organisation (details supplied) in each of the past three years; the way in which the amount of funding is determined; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the current level of funding is inadequate to meet the demands placed on the service; her policy on providing this funding on a multi-annual basis; the Estimate sub-head from which funds are drawn for this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14543/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 272 and 273 together.

The organisation referred to by the Deputy is one of the seven National Voluntary Childcare Organisations (NVCOs) which receive funding under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP) which is administered by the Office of the Minister for Children. It was intended that the funding provided under the EOCP would enable the NVCOs, each of which has its own remit and strategies, to expand their activities and membership during this period. The seven NVCOs are Barnardos, Childminding Ireland, IPPA, NCNA, Forbairt Naíonraí Teo, Irish Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Association, and St. Nicholas Montessori Society of Ireland.

Following the provision of funding over a three year period at the start of the EOCP, in 2003 the NVCOs were invited to draw up Strategic Plans for the period 2004 to 2006, based on which annual Action Plans to implement the Strategic Plans would be submitted to determine their annual funding approval. The annual Action Plans were also framed in the context of indicative budgets calculated for each NVCO in respect of 2004 and to the end of the EOCP. These took account of a number of factors including the size of the organisation and membership levels. Provision was included for a 2.5% annual increase which, in 2007, was raised to 4.5%.

Together, the NVCOs have received funding of almost €21 million since 2000. In the case of the organisation referred to by the Deputy, funding amounting to €350,000 was provided in 2004 increasing to €358,750 in 2005 and €367,719 in 2006. In 2007, funding for the organisation in question of €384,266 has been approved, representing an almost 10% increase over the 2004 level of funding. In total, over €2.9 million has been provided to the organisation since 2000. EOCP funding for the NVCOs is provided for under sub-head B.1 (Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme) of Vote 41 (Office of the Minister for Children).