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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 10 Mar 1999

Vol. 502 No. 1

Written Answers. - Child Care Services.

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

101 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the terms of reference of the new interdepartmental committee established to consider the reports of the expert working group on child care, the Commission on the Family and the forum on early childhood education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7203/99]

The terms of reference of the Interdepartmental Committee on Child care established by the Government are to evaluate, cost and prioritise the child care proposals in the reports of the Expert Working Group on Child care, the Commission on the Family and the National Forum for Early Childhood Education in addition to those in An Action Programme for the Millennium. The committee is also required to make recommendations to Government and to report to Government within six months on these issues.

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

102 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the future plans for the child care initiative in disadvantaged areas which is under the direction of his Department; the plans, if any, he has to expand the initiative; the way in which groups setting up child care projects in disadvantaged areas can be included in the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7202/99]

The equal opportunities child care programme was among the issues addressed by the Expert Working Group on Child Care which was chaired by my Department and which launched a report on 3 February 1999. The expert working group recommended that "the Programme should be expanded so that the supply of quality child care in disadvantaged areas can continue to be physically upgraded and have enhanced staffing support and that an additional £3.5 million budget should be allocated to the Programme for each of the first three years of the (recommended) National Child Care Strategy".

Two other reports were published recently which also contain proposals to address the child care situation – the report of the Commission on the Family and the report of the Forum for Early Childhood Education. Child care is a complex issue and the three reports differ in relation to the solutions proposed and the issues addressed. The Government, therefore, has established an interdepartmental committee to evaluate, cost and prioritise the child care proposals in all three reports together with the relevant proposals in An Action Programme for the Millennium and to make recommendations to the Government within six months.

Applications were invited in relation to the Equal Opportunities Child Care Programme in the national newspapers and the closing date for receipt of applications for funding under this two year programme was May/June 1998. All funding is being allocated on the basis of applications received in advance of the May/June 1998 deadline. The bulk of this funding was allocated in July of last year and a further £450,000 falls to be allocated this year in respect of applications which met the qualifying criteria under the capital infrastructure strand. The allocation of child care funding to my Department post 1999 has not yet been addressed.
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