Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 421: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide a breakdown by county of funding allocated under Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000 to 2006; the funding allocated to date on a county basis under the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006 to 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20870/07]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, 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 EOCP has both an equal opportunities and a social inclusion perspective and aims to increase the supply of centre based childcare places by 55 per cent (or 31,300 additional places) by Programme end. This target has already been exceeded, with some 35,500 additional places already created by the Programme. The NCIP has a funding allocation of €575 million and aims to create an additional 50,000 new childcare places. It is expected that approximately 22,000 of these places will be in the private sector and 28,000 in the community/not for profit sector. Twenty per cent of the overall places will be for children in the 3 to 4 age group and will provide an early childhood care and education focus.

The table below shows the breakdown of funding by County under the EOCP and NCIP to date. It also includes funding for a number of regionally focused projects, commitments to National Voluntary Childcare Organisations and City and County Childcare Committees.