Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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987. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is funding available for a local non-profit organisation to build a creche on local community owned land; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24358/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The approach to capital investment in future years is being considered within the context of the Programme for Government commitments and the revision to the National Development Plan which is ongoing.

The Building Block Extension Grant is operating this year and is providing funding to existing services to undertake extensions to their premises and, in the case of not-for-profit operators, to purchase or construct new premises. Applications for this scheme have now closed.

My Department is currently considering the possibilities for future capital programmes, including potentially operating another initiative like Building Blocks next year to support the expansion of provision by existing providers. As soon as those details are finalised, I will communicate to the sector.

For the first time, the Programme for Government contains a commitment to public provision and to capital investment to build or purchase State-owned facilities. Some early work has been carried out to explore options to introduce a segment of public provision. This will require significantly detailed policy development and design in order progress to implementation stage.

I look forward to sharing details of the future approach to capital with the sector in due course.