Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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289. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide information on funding for emergency capital works in a childcare facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35912/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department operates an annual capital funding programme, under which early learning and care and school-age childcare service providers are invited to apply for capital funding to enable them to carry out works to maintain and develop their premises. The purposes for which this funding can be used are determined on an annual basis by my Department

I will announce details of the 2021 capital programme before the end of the year.

My Department also oversees a Case Management process through which local County/City Childcare Committees (CCCs) and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to early learning and care services in difficulty.

Financial supports, which may also be accessed through the Case Management process, are available for community services presenting with sustainability issues and following a financial assessment by Pobal.

Pobal co-ordinate the overall case management process with the CCC administering initial, and on-going, case management assistance. The CCC, where appropriate, will proceed to make a formal notification to Pobal who will provide more consolidated support while verifying the service’s necessity for a financial intervention. All services who require support should contact their local CCC in the first instance.

The contact details for all CCCs can be found on www.myccc.ie.