Mary Upton
Question:181 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the EOCP review will be completed; when the outcomes will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13848/04]
View answerWednesday, 12 May 2004
Questions (161, 162)
Written answers
The Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006, or 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 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, 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. The day to day administration of the 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 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 current review of the applications in the pipeline will be concluded as speedily as possible to facilitate the development of additional child care places at the earliest opportunity and to ensure that the funding is drawn down in the planned manner I referred to earlier before the end of 2007. 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.
Mary Upton
Question:182 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the child care crisis in an area (details supplied); if his attention has further been drawn to the hardship that is arising as a consequence of totally inadequate facilities in the area; if his attention has further been drawn to the growing young population in the area; if his attention has further been drawn to the large number of children currently awaiting child care places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13849/04]
View answerThe Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 has made grant assistance available to a number of projects in the immediate Ballyfermot-Cherry Orchard area, amounting to almost €2.8 million, which will, when fully drawn down, create 249 new child care places and support a further 121 existing places. Substantial funding has also gone into the surrounding areas. I understand that an application has been received from a group based in the area in question for a substantial capital grant of over €2.6 million and an associated staffing grant and is going through the appraisal process as are a number of other large-scale capital projects in Dublin 10.
The day to day administration of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006, or 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 this application, are referred by ADM Limited to an independent external building specialist to assess the suitability of the proposal and its value for money.
During the assessment process, issues such as those referred to by the Deputy are considered as they form part of the criteria used in assessing projects under the programme. I would also add that the city and county child care committees, which were established, inter alia, to assess the child care needs in their respective areas, are also consulted on project applications. 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 providing child care for disadvantaged families.
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. It would be premature of me to comment further on a specific application for grant assistance at this time.