Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the budget for an organisation (details supplied); if funding is provided by this organisation for county childcare committees; if so the amount of funding provided for these committees; the number of these committees in existence; the number of staff employed therein; her views on whether these facilities provide value for money; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3162/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 -2010.

The NCIP is delivered at local level by a network of 33 City and county Childcare Committees (CCC's) which are funded for this purpose. The overall funding provided for the 33 Committees in 2009 is €12,972,616. A total of 200 full time equivalent staff members are employed by the CCC's. All of these figures are broken down in more detail in the enclosed tables.

As the CCC's are an essential mechanism in ensuring effective delivery of the NCIP at local level, including undertaking the initial assessment of grant applications, I am satisfied that they provide value for money. In addition, I understand that the CCC's were examined as part of the Value for Money review of the Childcare Programmes which was completed in 2007.