Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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282. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will direct Pobal to provide an extension of time for works to be completed at a family resource centre (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51032/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The results of the 2018 Early Years and School Age Capital programmes appraisal process were announced in June 2018, with all successful applicants receiving an offer of funding at the time.

A total of €6.87m was allocated under the programmes, with a view to creating 697 new 0-3 places, 1,253 new ECCE places and 807 new school age places. Funding was also granted for the essential maintenance and repair of community early years and school age services, and for the creation of new natural outdoor play areas in early years services.

All capital funding under the capital programmes is bound by the programme rules which state that, in accordance with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform rules governing exchequer funding, all funds must be spent in full and reported on within the calendar year they are allocated. Childcare services were advised of this in the programme guidelines, in advance of their making an application for funding.

Unfortunately, due to a variety of reasons, it has not been possible for all services that were approved for funding this year to achieve the reporting deadline. In such cases, Pobal, who administer the capital grants on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, are instructed to seek de-commitment of contract.

The rules regarding the spending of exchequer funds and the rules of the capital programmes must apply to all services equally and without exception, and therefore it is not possible for an extension into 2019 to be granted to the service in question, or indeed for any other service.

I regret that this outcome is unsatisfactory in this case. However, an announcement on the shape and priorities of the 2019 Capital programmes is due to issue in the coming weeks. I would like to invite all childcare providers, including the service you mention, to consider submitting an application for funding, should they be in a position to meet the programme criteria.