Vol. 448 No. 4
92 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform in view of the fact that a lack of access to quality affordable childcare is a major issue in women's inequality, if the new Government is committed to the provision of national childcare on the basis of an overall policy timetable, building on the existing provisions in private, community and public services. [2241/95]
I am increasingly aware of the potential contribution which accessible childcare can make in promoting greater quality of opportunity between men and women.
The Government is certainly committed to achieving a significant improvement in the level of childcare facilities and has specified measures in this regard in the Programme for Competitiveness and Work. This programme represents a short to medium-term timeframe in which there is considerable progress made already.
The human resource operational programme of the National Development Plan will be launched shortly and will include support for childcare initiat-ives involving both education and training authorities.
The regulatory aspects of the Childcare Act will be introduced next year. A scheme of innovative pilot childcare projects located in designated disadvantaged areas was launched by my Department last year and is making good progress.
Public, private and community interest partnership has been a key feature of the progress to date.
93 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the level of resources he has sought in relation to childcare for 1995; and his views on whether the amounts will be sufficient to develop childcare policy. [2242/95]
The £1 million included in this year's Estimate for my Department is intended to contribute to the cost of operating, on a pilot basis, a limited number of innovative, community-based childcare measures in severely disadvantaged areas.
The projects, some of which were initiated in 1994, involving partnerships between community groups and local employers, aim to assist people in these areas to participate in training, education and similar back-to-work courses which otherwise they would be unable to undertake in the absence of a childcare facility. The £1 million provided in this year's Estimate is additional to the £250,000 expended on the pilot scheme in 1994.
Grant aid under the scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by Area Development Management Ltd., is available in respect of start-up capital costs such as adaptation of premises, purchase of equipment, cost of essential training, etc., associated with childcare projects sponsored by voluntary groups in co-operation with local area partnership companies.
Expenditure on the pilot childcare scheme will be closely monitored to assess the degree of success of its objectives.
