Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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340. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can clarify the reason an application for the building blocks grant from (details supplied) was rejected; if such service providers have any right to appeal such decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20132/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department has allocated €9m in 2023 for The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) facilities. Grants range from €35,000 to €75,000 across two separate strands: Green Energy and Retrofit.

Services that signed up for the Core Funding Scheme were eligible for funding under the scheme.

Overall, 946 services submitted applications, out of a total eligible cohort of 4,200 services, which have signed up to Core Funding.

Pobal, who are administering the scheme on my Department's behalf advise that an application to the Building Blocks - Improvement Grant was submitted by Treasure Tots Nursery, applying for supports under Strand B - Retrofit, for costs associated with retrofit and accessibility of an existing building. Pobal further advise that the application did not meet a number of the scheme criteria.

Following appraisal, an unsuccessful decision was communicated to the applicant. At this point, all unsuccessful applicants to the Building Blocks – Improvement Grant were eligible to submit an appeal, in line with the applicant guidelines. Further guidance was also provided to all unsuccessful applicants, detailing a step by step guide for appeals. All appeals were eligible to be submitted on or before the closing date of 18^thApril, 2023, with the applicant submitting an appeal on 17^thApril, 2023. The applicant's appeal is currently under review and Pobal hope to respond to the applicant with an appeal outcome shortly.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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341. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can detail in relation to the building blocks grant scheme, the total number of applicants who applied for these supports; the number of applicants who failed to receive the grant; the number of successful applicants, in tabular form, per county council area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20133/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department was allocated €69m in the National Development Plan allocation. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars: Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, Building Blocks - Capacity Grant and a Building Blocks - Innovation Grant.

My Department has allocated €9m in 2023 for The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) facilities.

Grants 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.

The Retrofit Strand will provide grants to existing services in need of upgrading. Eligible works include kitchen works and refurbishment, upgrading of sanitary facilities for children and adults, roof repairs/replacement, and upgrading of flooring.

Services that signed up for the Core Funding Scheme were eligible for funding under the scheme.

The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant is part of a wider Building Blocks Capital Programme for Early Learning and Childcare under the National Development Plan.It is designed to meet current and long-term Early Learning and Childcare infrastructure needs – with proposals for a Building Blocks - Capacity Grant and a Building Blocks - Innovation Grant being considered.

Overall, 946 services submitted applications, out of a total eligible cohort of 4,200 services, which have signed up to Core Funding.

Table 1 details a breakdown of the 946 total received applications. The figures are available per strand, with figures noted for funded in 2023 and those that were unsuccessful. In addition, Table 2 provides a breakdown per strand, per each County Council area for those successfully funded.

Table 1

Table 2 - Funded