Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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357. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding available from her Department for a community playgroup (details supplied) to build its own premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20260/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Considerable capital funding was made available to community and commercial mainstream childcare providers for the development and refurbishment of childcare facilities under the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006-2010, and previously under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP). Because of the economic situation, a review of capital expenditure was undertaken in 2009 and following this a decision was taken not to approve any further capital grant applications under the NCIP programme.

I did secure capital funding totalling almost €9m in 2012 and 2013 under two capital programmes to support the ongoing improvement of established childcare services participating in one or more of the childcare support programmes implemented by my Department. These programmes were over subscribed with the result that the funding available to qualifying applicants was limited.

I have also provided a further €2.5 million in 2014 for maintenance and upgrade of community/not-for-profit childcare services. The objective of this funding is to ensure that previously funded community facilities remain fit-for-purpose, maintain and improve quality, and to make community service more efficient and sustainable through improving the energy rating of these facilities. The closing date for applications for grants under this programme, which will be administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department, is the 7th May 2014 and full details is available on the Pobal website at www.pobal.ie. There is no further capital funding available to my Department this year of the scale that would assist new childcare providers to purchase or develop new premises.