Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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365. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding childcare capital grant 2013 funding in respect of a group (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21543/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I was successful in securing €2.75m in capital funding in Budget 2013 to support the ongoing improvement of the childcare sector via the 2013 Childcare Capital Programme. This programme is being implemented by Pobal on behalf of my Department. Both community not-for-profit childcare facilities and private childcare facilities currently participating in one of the three childcare programmes implemented by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs were eligible to apply for a grant under the Programme. The closing date for applications was 30th April.

I understand that there has been significant interest in the programme, with almost 1,400 applications with a value of more than €6m submitted before the closing date.  Pobal has now commenced the process of appraising all of the applications. Each application is competing on its own merits with every other application received. It is expected that Pobal will be in a position to make recommendations to my Department before the end of June.