Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2004
325 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a decision will be made to provide funding for child care facilities at Cherry Orchard, the Ballyfermot Resource Centre and the Ballyfermot Youth Centre in view of the fact that these proposed facilities are vital to turn the tide against the very high level of early school drop-out in the Dublin 10 area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13162/04]
View answerI understand that an application from the first group for a substantial capital grant of over €2.6 million and an associated staffing grant was submitted some time ago. An application from the second group for a substantial capital grant of almost €1.5 million and an associated staffing grant was also submitted some time ago. This was a revised application and my Department had previously made a feasibility grant available to the group to enable it to develop the project. My Department cannot trace the third group named as no reference number was supplied but I will be happy to give the Deputy an update if the full name of the third project can be given.
The day to day administration of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006, EOCP, is undertaken by Area Development Management Limited, which has been engaged by my Department to carry-out thorough assessments against the programme criteria of all applications for grant assistance under the programme, on my behalf. All large scale capital projects such as these applications from Ballyfermot, are referred by ADM Limited, to an independent external building specialist to assess the suitability of the proposal and its value for money. On completion of the assessment process, applications are considered by the programme appraisal committee, chaired by my Department, which makes a funding recommendation to me before I make a final decision on the matter.
The EOCP is a seven year development programme, the progress of which was commented upon very favourably by the mid-term evaluators of both the regional operational programmes and the National Development Plan 2000-2006. Expenditure under the programme covers the period to end 2007 and must take place in a planned manner as must grant approvals to ensure that the programme can meet its financial commitments at all times.
There has been considerable demand from community based groups for capital grant assistance under the programme and every county has benefited from significant grant commitments to provide new and enhanced community based child care facilities and indeed to support capital developments in the private child care sector. ADM on behalf of my Department is currently carrying out an extensive review of the programme's capital commitments to date, numbering over 1,100 and at a value of €114 million, to ensure that grant commitments previously entered into will be realised. Projects may be awaiting planning permission or the completion of tender processes before reasonable assurance can be taken that they will proceed and, if they do not, the funding set aside can be decommitted and made available to another project.
In addition, my Department has recently reviewed the different budget lines under the EOCP including the capital programme to ensure that the most effective use is made of all remaining funding in accordance with the programme's objectives. Some transfers between measures were recommended and require the approval of the regional assemblies. I expect that this technical process will be completed shortly and that it will bring to at least €157 million the total allocation for the capital development of child care under the present EOCP. This amount includes an element for the administration by ADM Limited of the capital programme. At the same time, an extensive review of child care provision on the ground has taken place to identify obvious service gaps, the filling of which will be a priority using the remaining capital funding which currently amounts to about €35 million.
I intend to allocate the remaining capital funding under this strand of the Government's commitments to child care to address the most immediate service gaps. As a result, all the projects in the pipeline, including these Ballyfermot projects, are being reviewed again by ADM Limited on the basis of geographical need, the range of services being offered and the capacity of the groups to complete a project before the end of the programme. Those projects which best meet the criteria will receive priority. The review process will be repeated as necessary to maximise the benefits deriving from this phase of the EOCP.
I do not doubt but that the success of the present strand of the EOCP and the need to continue to make child care available to support the child care needs of our still growing work force will support my case for ongoing capital and current funding from Government for this key sector. Indeed, should any additional funding become available before the end of the present national development plan, I would expect that the programme would again benefit from transfers.
I am also very much aware that participation in or preparation for employment is an important step towards social inclusion and self reliance for persons who may have ended their formal education before achieving a school certificate and therefore social disadvantage is another key element of the EOCP, which makes grant assistance available towards the staffing costs of many community based child care facilities which provide child care for disadvantaged families. The projects mentioned by the Deputy are being reviewed as part of this prioritisation process and it would be premature of me to comment further on specific applications for grant assistance at this time.
