Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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239. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will consider the case made by a preschool (details supplied) in Cork city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23776/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Capital funding of €2.5 million is being provided in 2014 under the Early Years Childcare Capital 2014 programme for the 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 services more efficient and sustainable through improving the energy rating of these facilities. The Early Years Childcare Capital 2014 programme is being administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department. It was a condition of the programme that all groups seeking funding submit their application through the Pobal on-line application facility only.

In the guidance documentation provided prior to the commencement of the application process, applicants were advised that, if they were experiencing any difficulties with the on-line process, they should seek assistance from Pobal through a helpdesk e-mail address. There is no record of the group having sought such assistance. The group's application for funding is ineligible for consideration on the grounds that their application was not submitted through the Pobal on-line facility within the specified deadline. More than 220 applications for funding under the programme have been received. These are currently being assessed.