Written Answers - Child Care. Wednesday, 2 May 2001

Dáil Eireann Debate Vol. 535 No. 2 Page of 208

  204.  Ms Fitzgerald      asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform      the number of applications in each county for child care support; the number per county applying for the provision of private child care plans; the number applying for community places; the amounts allocated in each category; and the current drawdown. [12502/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue):    Under my Department's Equal Opportunities Child Care Programme, 2000-2006, I have approved funding totalling more than £35.4 million to date to numerous child care groups or providers around the country through the provision of capital funding and, in the case of community based child care providers, staffing grants. Funding of £10 million has also been allocated for quality improvement measures such as to support and enhance the national voluntary child care organisations, to encourage the development of local child care networks and local child care training models. Table 1 which follows outlines the number of applications received, by county, under the following headings: capital grant to private sector or self-employed child care providers; capital grant to community based not for profit child care groups; staffing grant to community based not for profit child care groups.

The Deputy has also asked for details of the funding allocated under each of the categories outlined above. Table 2 details the level of funding committed to date per county under these three headings.

Table 3 provides details of the draw down of [803] funding by the project promoters for the period up to 30 March 2001. In the case of capital grant applications, the difference between the amounts committed and the amounts paid out reflects the fact that payments are made in stages as work progresses. In many cases, building contractors are unable to begin work on projects as soon as had been expected due to other work commitments. In the case of staffing support applications to community-based not-for-profit groups, the [804] difference between the amounts committed and the amounts drawn down reflects the fact that the grants are allocated over a three year period and the requirements placed on groups in relation to recruitment procedures. I have been informed by my Department's equal opportunties childcare section that there will be a marked increase in the actual expenditure by the end of the next quarter. Funding has also been drawn down to date by projects approved funding under the quality improvement category.

Table 2 – Funding approved by county under Capital and staffing grant measures up to 30/04/01

Table 3 – Drawdown of funding approved by county under capital and staffing grant measures up to 30/03/01

Progress in relation to the report's recommendations is, as I am sure the Deputy will appreciate, in view of the complexities of the issue and the multiplicity of service providers involved, at various levels and stages.

---

Last Updated: 10/09/2010 22:20:41

Page of 208