Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a decision will be made to fund on a proper basis a facility (details supplied) in Dublin 10 in order that it can employ staff to fully utilise the brand new building and run the innovative programmes aimed at addressing in a holistic way the child-care needs and other needs of chaotic users and others; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9216/08]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to a project (details supplied) in Dublin 10; and if any Department official or any member of the local Health Service Executive has taken up the invitation of the child-care centre's management committee to visit and see for themselves the innovative building and the programmes they run for children and addicts. [9217/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 306 and 307 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP) which replaced the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP), which was also administered by my Office. I understand that the Group in question received capital funding totalling €1.16 million under the EOCP and, as a result, has recently entered their new building.

The Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) under the NCIP, was introduced by my Office in January of this year and has an allocation of €154.2 million over three years. This Scheme will continue to support community-based childcare services to provide reduced childcare fees for disadvantaged parents, complementing the universal supports in place for all parents. The Group in question has been approved under the CCSS for transitional funding for the period January-June 2008 of €37,375. I understand that they received their first instalment of this grant on 22 February.

Community childcare services qualify for grant aid on the basis of the level of service they provide and the profile of the parents benefiting from their service. In general, the parent profile of services, and the amount of subvention they will receive, are determined on the basis of completed parent declaration forms which are returned as part of the application process. However, in the case of some specialist services, such as that operated by the Group in question, it is recognised that some additional arrangements may be necessary. Officials from my Office have been in correspondence and discussions with the manager of the service in this regard and will continue to assist the Group in completing their assessment for funding for the period July-December 2008. The Group will be informed of their grant aid as soon as it has been determined.

Given the roles played by Pobal, the City and County Childcare Committees and the Health Service Executive in the assessment process for grant applicants under the EOCP and NCIP, it is not considered necessary at this point for officials from my office to visit the service to assess the appropriate level of grant aid under the CCSS.