Vol. 516 No. 1
110 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will give details of the new capital grant scheme for child care providers caring for up to 20 people; the amount of money to be provided for the scheme; if it will apply to initiatives already in place; when the grant scheme will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7284/00]
The capital grants scheme for self-employed child care providers, catering for up to 20 child care places, is one element of my Department's Equal Opportunities Child Care Programme 2000-2006 . The objective of the programme is to increase the number of child care facilities and places and to improve the quality of child care services available. The national development plan provides for £10 million per annum for expenditure on this grant scheme.
My Department has consulted widely on the development of application forms and guidelines for the equal opportunities child care programme. The application forms and guidelines are currently being finalised within my Department and I intend to invite applications for the grant scheme in the coming weeks, at which stage information and application forms will be available from my Department. The initiatives being undertaken in the equal opportunities child care programme are subject to clearance by the regional assemblies and the EU Commission.
It is intended that initially, the application process for the equal opportunities child care programme will be open ended, that is, there will be no closing date at the time of issue. This will be subject to review in light of experience and developments during the life of the National Development Plan 2000-2006.
The schemes under the Equal Opportunities Child Care Programme 2000-2006, including the self-employed child care provider capital grant, will not be retrospective. Capital works which are started prior to grant approval will not be eligible for grant aid.
