Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1019. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if applications to the early years capital programme 2020 will be reopened in view of the fact that they were suspended before the original deadline of 27 March 2020; if there are alternative capital funding options open to services at this time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9053/20]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Since 2015 my Department has administered an annual capital funding programme, under which registered service providers are invited to apply for capital funding to increase the capacity of their services,  and to maintain and improve their services.

In 2020 I secured €7.2m in capital funding for early learning and care (ELC)  and school age care (SAC).  I launched the application programme for the 2020 Capital Programme on 28 February.  I suspended the Capital Programme on 26 March, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

I am currently reviewing the allocation of the 2020 capital budget and I intend to launch a new capital grant programme in the coming days.  Under this new capital grant programme, funds will be made available to services to enable them to carry out preparatory work in advance of opening.  The application process, which will be administered by Pobal, will go live in the coming days. The application process will be user-friendly and simple to use.  Providers will receive confirmation of the funding they are to receive before they reopen.