Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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603. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the situation facing a childcare facility (details supplied) whose childcare capital grant application was suspended will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14472/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department has, since 2015, administered an annual capital funding programme, under which early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services providers are invited to apply for capital funding to increase capacity and to maintain and improve their services.

The 2020 Capital programme was launched on 26 February with a budget of €7.2million. However, it was necessary, as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic, to suspend the 2020 Capital programme on March 26.

On 10 June 2020 a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of early learning and care services which included an additional €7m in Capital funding, resulting in a total budget of €14.2 million which was shared between all services.

A key policy priority for my department is the sustainability of the sector and I believe the best use of capital funding in 2020 will be made through supporting existing services to reopen after the closure period, and to support them meet the reopening guidance.

The application process for the 2020 Capital programme, which is administered by Pobal, is open for applications on the Early Years Platform the (Hive) until 28 August 2020.