Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on a report published by the Irish Refugee Council on 18 September 2012 which catalogues over ten years of enforced child poverty, malnutrition and social exclusion caused by the system of direct provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40660/12]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will ensure that a creche at a centre (details supplied), Dublin, receives the funding it needs in order that the residential treatment centre for women and children will remain open. [40662/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 35 together.

The centre referred to provides services to persons with alcohol and drug problem. Issues relating to funding of alcohol and drug services provided by this centre are a matter for the Department of Health.

My Department provides funding for the provision of early childhood care and education through three support programmes - the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme. The funding provided under all three programmes is targeted directly at parents who satisfy the qualifying criteria for the particular programme. There is no other funding available to my Department to support pre-school services over and above that provided under these programmes. The creche that is attached to the drugs and alcohol centre only applied to become part of the ECCE Programme for the first time for the year 2012-13. The Centre is in contract with my Department to provide childcare places under the CETS programmes.

The Deputy might note that in addition to these funding programmes my Department also administers the application based National Lottery Funding Scheme under which grants are made available to support groups and organisations with an involvement in the provision of supports and services for children and young people. Full particulars of the funding scheme, which has an overall resource allocation of just €500,000 this year, are available on my Department's website - www.dcya.gov.ie

I understand that the Centre may be considering the submission of an application to my Department for funding from this Scheme and in this regard it might be noted that the closing date for the submission of completed applications is Friday, 28th September 2012.