Written Answers. - Child Care Services.
Finian McGrath
Question:
180
Mr. F. McGrath
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
the Government's policy on child care services and the services offered to people setting up a child care facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12428/03]
Child care was identified as a priority area for investment in the National Development Plan 2000-2006. As the Deputy may be aware, my Department has been given responsibility for the co-ordination of child care service delivery during this period. The equal opportunities child care programme was established by my Department in April 2000 as a seven year programme to increase the number of child care facilities and places, to improve the quality of child care services and to introduce a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of child care services. The total funding allocated to my Department for these purposes during the seven year period of the programme is €437 million, including €317.4 million provided under the national development plan, co-funded by the European Union.
The equal opportunities child care programme has an equal opportunities and social inclusion perspective and facilitates the further development and expansion of child care facilities to address the needs of men and women in reconciling their child care needs with their participation in employment, training and education.
The programme provides capital grant assistance to community – not for profit organisations and to private child care providers to increase the supply of child care places or enhance the quality of existing places. It offers staffing grants to community-based – not for profit organisations which have a focus on disadvantaged families and offers supports to the national voluntary child care organisations and to other groups which are working to improve the quality of child care in Ireland.
The staff of the child care directorate of my Department and of ADM Limited on my behalf, together with the county-city child care commit tees provide advice and support on a daily basis to child care providers and those interested in setting up a child care facility. The county-city child care committees are also developing and supporting countywide networks of child care providers.
Each application for funding is appraised separately and on its own merits against a range of criteria specified under the programme which include,inter alia, the scope of the project, the socio-demographic profile of the area, the quality of the proposal, the capacity of the group to implement the project, the level of integration of the project with other facilities in the area and the value for money which the project represents. This technical appraisal is carried out by ADM Limited on my Department's behalf.
The Deputy will agree that to address the child care needs of the country it is vital that funding is wisely invested in quality child care services in a strategic manner. Any child care service that receives funding under the Department's equal opportunities child care programme must be of the highest standard and be a service that will be available and viable into the future. In many cases, it is necessary to provide support to groups to enable them to reach a stage where they can formulate a child care plan for their area leading to a quality proposal for funding. The development of the capacity of the child care sector forms a vital component of the work of the equal opportunities child care programme.
Since the availability of funding under the equal opportunities child care programme was formally announced in April 2000, funding of over €168.6 million has been committed to over 1,600 child care projects on the ground, both in the community and private sectors. It is estimated that, on completion of these projects, over 46,200 child care places will be supported by this funding including the creation of 23,120 new child care places. The funding will also enable many of the services extend their hours of operation and enhance the quality of the child care provided. In addition, funding of over €21 million has been approved for quality improvement projects such as the county child care committees, the national voluntary child care organisations and innovative projects. This brings the total amount allocated under the equal opportunities child care programme to €189.9 million to date.
Further supports for people setting up a child care service include an advice-support service which is available from health boards to providers who are proposing to commence a new pre-school service and to providers who are proposing to extend an existing service. As part of this service, pre-school officers outline the requirements for each category of pre-school service under the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 1996 and all providers are recommended to contact their pre-school officer for advice in the initial stages of planning their project.
In addition to the equal opportunities child care programme, my colleague, the Minister for Finance makes available a number of incentives in relation to the setting up of child care services, such as capital allowances for capital expenditure on the construction, extension and refurbishment of a building, or part of a building – or the conversion of an existing building – which is used for the purpose of providing a pre-school service, day care or other child care facility.
An Agreed Programme for Government and the progress of my Department's equal opportunities child care programme are confirmation of the Government's commitment to developing and reviewing child care services and to keeping child care at the forefront of its social agenda.
