Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will reconsider a staffing grant application by a group (details supplied) in County Mayo as had been promised, rather than basing its grant on the interim amount which was approved to it for the period from September to December 2007, particularly as this group have been informed that it is not eligible for a top-up grant. [5018/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), which will invest €575 million over 5 years. I understand that, in July 2007, the Group referred to was approved under the NCIP interim staffing support scheme for a start up grant of €3,000 in respect of the period September to December 2007. The interim scheme was introduced in 2007 to facilitate services which could not meet the contractual deadline applicable to the staffing support grant scheme under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP), and pending the introduction of the NCIP Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) in January 2008.

With the closure in December 2007 of funding under the EOCP, community-based childcare services with a focus on disadvantage continue to be eligible for support funding under the CCSS, to which €153 million in Exchequer funding has been allocated during 2008-2010. Community childcare services funded under either the EOCP or interim NCIP staffing support schemes were eligible to apply under transitional arrangements introduced for the CCSS and the Group in question has been approved for funding in respect of the period January to June 2008. All such transitional funding is calculated on a pro-rata basis on the previous level of staffing support funding for which approval was given. The service is free to appeal in writing to the Childcare Directorate of my Office in regard to the amount of transitional funding for which it has been approved, however, to date no appeal has been received. Funding for the period post June 2008 will be based on the parent profiles submitted by the Group, on the same basis as other Groups funded under the scheme.