Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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192. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of new early years places funded through his Department's annual capital programme by year and by location in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62618/22]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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193. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the allocation to date of the €70m building blocks capital programme per county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62619/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together.

My department has secured funding under the revised National Development Plan for the Building Blocks Capital Programme, which is being designed to meet current and long-term Early Learning and Childcare infrastructure needs. This Programme includes three Pillars:

1. A €9 million Improvement Grant to improve energy efficiency standards, while also supporting the continuous improvement of the physical environment of services.

2. A €45 million Capacity Grant to address capacity gaps, to fund an expansion in existing services and investing in the development of new services where most needed.

3. A €15 million Innovation Grant to pilot a range of innovative initiatives such as outdoor early learning and childcare services.

In September, I was pleased to announce the €9m Building Blocks - Improvement Grant for the Early Learning and Childcare Sector.

Grants will range from €35,000 to €75,000 across two separate strands: Green Energy and Retrofit. The Green Energy Strand will support the Climate Action Agenda and the Programme for Government, which aim to transition to a carbon neutral economy by the end of 2050 and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030.

Services that sign up for the Core Funding Scheme are eligible for funding under for the Building Blocks - Capital Programme. The capital grant scheme opened to applications on Friday 28th October 2022 and the closing date is Friday 16th December 2022. Successful applicants will be notified in early 2023.

I will be announcing details of the Building Blocks - Capacity Grant in the coming months. This grant scheme will address the capacity gap and will provide an investment of up to €45m in the expansion of existing facilities. Funding is expected to flow in 2024.

As the Building Blocks schemes have just been announced, no new early years places have been provided to date. My Department is prioritising the delivery of the Building Blocks - Capacity Grant.