Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow who is in receipt of assistance under the equal opportunities childcare programme, now the NCIP 2006 to 2010, until the end of December 2007; if they can be informed that funding will be provided; his views on having each funding period run until the end of the academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22960/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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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.

Under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP), which is co-funded under the EU Social Fund (ESF), targeted support was provided through the staffing support grant scheme whereby community based not-for-profit childcare providers with a strong focus on disadvantage were awarded grant aid towards their staffing costs to allow them to operate reduced fees to disadvantaged parents. The Group in question was approved a total of €220,000 staffing grant assistance under the scheme including €108,800 to cover the period to the end of December 2007. The Group has also been approved a total of €22,297 in capital grant assistance under the EOCP.

As signalled at the launch of the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), the successor programme to the EOCP, a new scheme to support community childcare services with a focus on disadvantage will be introduced on 1 January 2008. The Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) has been allocated €153 million over the next 3 years representing a 16% increase in funding over the EOCP staffing scheme. Under the new scheme, services will be grant aided according to the service they provide and the profile of the parents benefiting from their service. In turn, the subvention received by the services will be reflected in the reduced fees for parents who qualify as disadvantaged under the scheme.

Transitional arrangements have been made under which existing grant recipients can continue to be funded at their current levels until 1 July 2008. This is to ensure that existing childcare services are facilitated to adjust to the new scheme, including making any adjustments necessary to their fee structures. As signalled when I announced the new scheme in July this year, the transitional period between now and 1 July 2008 will also be used to monitor and review the impact it will have on individual groups, on the basis of the more detailed and comprehensive data which is due to be received from applicants in November, which will determine the grant aid for the second half of 2008. If appropriate, any adjustments necessary to the scheme to secure the best outcomes for childcare services and for disadvantaged parents and their children will be considered on the basis of this data and well in advance of the commencement of the new funding levels in July 2008.

In 2008, it is proposed that applications for funding in respect of 2009 will be assessed on the basis of information collected and returned to my Office in September, with a similar arrangement applying in 2009 in respect of 2010. Experience has shown that this is generally the best time for childcare services to establish an accurate and representative profile of their service.