Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 619: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if funding is available for community crèches; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10668/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Government currently supports the provision of early childhood care and education through three support programmes - the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme. These programmes are implemented by my Department.

The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme supports only community-based childcare services by enabling them to provide childcare at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income families. These not-for-profit facilities provide childcare at cost price with reductions to qualifying parents based on the level of subvention they are entitled to under the programme.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. Almost every pre-school service in the State is participating in the programme, ensuring it is available to children in all areas.

The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme was introduced in September 2010. Under the CETS programme, funding is provided by my Department to participating childcare services in return for the provision of free childcare places to qualifying students and trainees. The eligibility criteria under which students and trainees qualify under the programme is determined by FÁS and the VECs.

The ECCE and CETS programmes are available in both community and commercial childcare services. In December 2011, the Government announced a new National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) Capital Funding 2012 grant. This grant will provide capital funding of €6m this year to both community and private childcare providers currently participating in one or more of the above funding programmes: CCS programme; CETS programme and ECCE programme. The funding is available for small maintenance/renovation work or equipment and the maximum grant available to qualifying applicants is €50,000.