Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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245. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 949 of 6 November 2018, when details of the 2019 capital allocation for childcare providers will be confirmed; when applications will be open for capital funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51435/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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In Budget 2019 I secured a capital budget of €8.86m for Early Years.

Officials in my Department are currently in the process of developing the capital offering for 2019. It is not possible at this stage to provide a detailed breakdown of 2019's capital offering before a final decision has been made.

However, it is intended that this funding will be used to support necessary improvements to childcare infrastructure and to support childcare providers in preparation for the launch of the Affordable Childcare Scheme.

An announcement on the details of 2019's capital offering will issue in the coming weeks, once the internal development process has concluded.