Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Jun 2002

Vol. 553 No. 6

Written Answers. - Child Care Services.

Richard Bruton

Question:

241 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the average length of time it is taking to process applications for grants under the child care grant scheme; if he has satisfied himself that the turnaround time on decisions is allowing people to quickly respond to opportunities for suitable accommodation; and the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [14896/02]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

As the Deputy is aware, my Department has been given overall responsibility for the co-ordination of child care service delivery over the course of the National Development Plan 2000-2006. The Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, which was established in April 2000, has been developed with the objective of significantly increasing the number of child care places and improving the quality of child care services over the period.

The following procedure is followed in processing an application received under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme. On receipt of an application an acknowledgement letter is issued from my Department and the application is forwarded to Area Development Management Limited, who act on behalf of my Department in appraising each application. Once this process is complete, the assessment is submitted to the programme appraisal committee which makes a recommendation to me for a final decision. Successful applicants are then required to enter into a contract, on my Department's behalf, with ADM Limited. Any outstanding issues will be discussed with the applicants at contract stage.

Every effort is made to ensure that decisions on applications are made in a timely fashion and in line with the general guidelines and the criteria of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000 to 2006. In general, it would be expected that an application would be processed in a three to four month period. However, it should be noted that the timeframe for individual applications will depend, in large part, on the nature and scope of the application being made and the details which are supplied at the time of application. With these factors in mind, I am satisfied that there is no undue delay in the processing of applications under my Department's Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme.

I have made enquiries with ADM Limited in relation to the application from the person referred to by the Deputy. I understand that this application was received on 26 September 2001 but was subsequently placed on hold by the applicant, pending the applicant's completion of discussions in relation to a suitable premises. I have been informed that these discussions have been completed and that the application is now in the final stages of the assessment process. I expect that a recommendation in this case will be made to me by the programme appraisal committee in the near future and I will issue my decision shortly thereafter.