Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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47. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding provided in 2018 towards the provision of new or upgraded childcare places; the financial provision for such developments in 2019; the number of childcare places that will be supported with such funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6994/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The creation of new early learning and care and school age places continues to be of utmost priority for my Department, as evidenced in the capital supports offered to providers for the purpose.

The total Capital allocation for Early Years in 2018 was €6.86m.

Of this, €3.86m was allocated for the creation of new early learning and care places. This resulted in 85 applications being approved for the creation of 1,950 new places nationwide: of these, 697 were 0-3 places, and 1,253 were ECCE places.

In addition to this, €0.76m was allocated for the creation of new school age childcare places. This resulted in 45 applications being approved for the creation of 807 new school age childcare places nationwide.

In 2019, I am pleased to have secured a total Capital budget of €9.606m for Early Years. Much of it will be targeted towards the creation of new places, but some will focus on quality and supporting the sector to meet regulatory requirements.

Of the €9.606m, €4.231m has been allocated under the 2019 Early Learning and Care Capital programme for the creation of new early learning and care places for 0-3 year olds. Individual grants of up to €50,000 will be made available to early learning and care providers under the measure.

€1m has been allocated for the creation of new school age childcare places. Individual grants of up to €20,000 will be made available under the measure.

The application window for the Capital programmes is set to open from 25th February to 27th March 2019.

It is not possible to provide an accurate figure as to the amount of new early learning and care and school age childcare places that will be created under this year's capital programmes, before the application and appraisal processes have taken place. However, I hope and expect that this year's capital allocation will build on the good work and progress achieved in previous years, and as always I anticipate that there will be great interest in the funding.

I would urge any interested providers to contact Pobal or their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) with any questions they may have about this year's Early Learning and Care and School Age Capital programmes.