Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to encourage employers to set up or to increase employee facilities, such as crèches and gymnasiums; if he has consulted with local authorities over this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8438/08]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Primary responsibility for policy in relation to Childcare is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Children, at the Department of Health and Children. The Childcare Directorate of that Office has responsibility for implementing the National Childcare Strategy 2006-2010. The strategy aims to further develop the childcare infrastructure to meet the needs of children and their parents for quality early childhood care.

The National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 is a major programme of investment in childcare infrastructure. €575 million has been allocated to the 5-year programme, including €358 million for capital investment. It is anticipated that the programme will create up to 50,000 new childcare places, with the objective of assisting parents to access affordable, quality childcare.

The programme will develop quality childcare supports and services, delivered at local level through the City and County Childcare Committees under the coordination of Pobal. Capital grants to develop childcare facilities are available to childcare providers in both the private and community sector.

My Department is responsible for chairing and providing the secretariat for the National Framework Committee on Work Life Balance Policies. This Committee, which was established under the social partnership process, comprises representatives from IBEC, ICTU, the Equality Authority and a number of Government Departments. The Committee has undertaken and continues to undertake a range of activities to raise awareness and encourage the provision of work-life balance at the level of the enterprise, including the provision of financial assistance to organisations, the provision of expert assistance to individual organisations via a Panel of Consultants which was established in November 2007; information dissemination activities, seminars, research etc. 29th February is Work Life Balance Day 2008, an initiative conceived by the Framework Committee in 2001 and has become an annual event ever since. The establishment of facilities such as gymnasia in the workplace is a matter for individual employers themselves.