Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason childcare communities (details supplied) that have been approved provisionally for funding are not eligible to be considered for continuing payment having received interim payments only; if there were intentions of changing this regulation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6842/08]

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 of €4,500 transitional 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 Childcare Directorate of my Office has recently received an appeal from the Group in regard to the amount of transitional funding for which it has been approved. This appeal has been copied to Pobal, who manage the day to day operation of the NCIP on behalf of my Office, for examination and assessment. Following Pobal's assessment of the application, which will include any new information provided in their appeal, it will be forwarded to the Childcare Directorate of my Office for final consideration and decision. The Group will be notified of the outcome in due course. 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 and details of CCSS were announced in December, 2007.