Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 133 of 13 November 2007 if he will provide the funding required to ensure that the facility remains open in 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34894/07]

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.

Further to my reply of 13 November 2007 the application for interim support funding under the NCIP by the Group in question was declined in September 2007 as their application had not demonstrated sufficient ability to efficiently manage and sustain the service from September 2007 and therefore did not meet the requirements of the NCIP interim support scheme. The Group was invited to contact their local City/County Childcare Committee should they wish to apply for funding under the new Community Childcare Subvention Scheme which will come into effect in January 2008. I understand that the Group requested a review of this decision which is under process and the Group will be informed of the outcome shortly.

The interim support scheme under the NCIP was introduced as an interim measure pending the introduction of the new Community Childcare Subvention Scheme, to facilitate Groups which were unable to meet the contractual deadline of December 2006 for funding under the EOCP staffing support scheme.