Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 292: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of additional child care places under the NCIP and the previous equal opportunities child care programme funded by her Department in 2007; the cost of this programme; the number of child care places under this programme in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34044/07]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The €535 million Equal Childcare Programme (EOCP) 2000-06, which was co-funded by the European Union, was succeeded in 2006 by the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006-10 which has a fund of €575m and is entirely Exchequer funded. Both Programmes consist of grant schemes for capital investment, staffing support and quality improvement. While applications for EOCP grants are now closed, funding continues to be drawn down and childcare places are still being created.

From 1 January 2007, the total value of grants approved under the EOCP is €4,685,612, resulting in 2,947 new childcare places. This brings the total number of childcare places created since the beginning of the EOCP to 37,306. From 1 January 2007, the total value of grants approved under NCIP is €111,669,633. There is a time-lag between the point where grants are approved and the creation of physical places. While 266 new childcare places have been created in 2007 under the NCIP, the projected number of new childcare places once the approved NCIP funding is drawn down is 27,463 childcare places. The total number of NCIP new childcare places created to date is 1,472.