Vol. 548 No. 2
362 Mr. T. Hayes asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a grant under the Equal Opportunities Child Care Programme 2000-2006 will be made to a group (details supplied) in Cashel, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4498/02]
As the Deputy is aware, capital and staffing grant schemes for community based and "not for profit" groups are part of the Government child care funding initiatives administered under my Department's Equal Opportunities Child Care Programme 2000-2006. In October 2001, my Department received an application from the group in question for a capital grant under the Equal Opportunities Child Care Programme 2000-2006 for the construction of a childcare facility within a proposed new family resource centre. An application for staffing funding was received by my Department from the same group on 7 November 2001.
I understand from officials in my Department's childcare directorate that a technical assessment of these applications is being carried out by ADM Limited prior to referral to the programme appraisal committee. I have also been advised by ADM Limited that, in view of the costings of the capital project, an independent architectural appraisal is being carried out. This is standard practice in capital projects of this size. In the interim, it would be premature of me to comment further on the applications under the equal opportunities childcare programme.
