Written Answers. - Child Care Services.
Pat Carey
Question:
1038
Mr. P. Carey
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
if any provisions in the estimates for child care allow universities to provide on-campus crèche facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30570/00]
As the Deputy is aware, my Department has been allocated £250 million comprising EU and Exchequer funding over the course of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 to improve child care provision and quality throughout the country. The objectives of this funding are to increase the availability of child care places, to improve the quality of child care provision and to ensure the co-ordination of child care service provision on a local and national basis.
On 28 April 2000, I announced the availability of capital and staffing grants for community based not-for-profit child care organisations and capital grants for small scale private child care providers catering for no more than 20 children to enable us to meet these objectives. Grants are also available for quality improvement projects such as local child care networks, child care training and innovative projects. It is open to any group including educational institutions to make application for this funding.
In addition to the funding available under the national development plan, in October 2000, I announced details of the Government's extra £40 million anti-inflationary package for child care. Following on from this announcement, in late November 2000, I was pleased to announce the availability of capital grants, from my Department's equal opportunities child care section, to private child care providers who cater for more than 20 children.
Each application is dealt with on its own merits and I can inform the Deputy that my officials are available to discuss any proposal to provide child care facilities with any organisation whether it is a community or employer initiative. I would be glad to give consideration to any proposal developed by the educational institutions.
Since the announcement of the availability of grants in April 2000, over £30 million in funding has been committed by my Department under the equal opportunities child care programme with over £22 million being allocated in the form of capital or staffing grants to child care services on the ground to date. Almost 7,000 child care places will be supported by the funding committed by my Department which includes the creation of over 3,200 new child care places.
The measures in place reaffirm this Government's commitment to keeping child care at the forefront of its social agenda.
