Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 December 2004
318 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the assistance or grants which are available to a community group hall (details supplied) in Dublin 8; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33149/04]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the equal opportunities child care programme for 2000 to 2006 is a seven year development programme which aims to increase the availability and quality of child care to support parents in employment, education and training. The level of demand for capital grant assistance was such that I considered it important to increase the capital provision for the current programme. Following discussions with my colleague, the Minister for Finance, I was pleased when he made available through the budget an additional capital provision totalling €90 million over the period 2005 to 2009. Of this amount, €50 million will be made available under the current equal opportunities child care programme while the remaining €40 million will flow under its post-2006 phase.
The provision augments increased EU funding of some €12 million which was made available earlier this year in recognition of the progress of the programme. This brings the total funding available for the programme to €499.3 million, including an increased provision for capital developments for which €205 million has been set aside.
I understand from my inquiries that no application for capital grant assistance under the equal opportunities child care programme has been made to my Department by the group referred to by the Deputy. The Deputy may be aware that the group previously received a total of €199,349 in staffing supports under the programme. Should an application be received, it will, of course, be assessed by Area Development Management Limited, which has been engaged by my Department to carry out thorough assessments of all applications for grant assistance against the equal opportunities child care programme criteria on my behalf. Its terms of reference include a requirement for the service to support parents who are in employment or are undertaking education and training with a view to employment. On completion of the assessment process, applications are considered by the programme's appraisal committee, which is chaired by my Department and makes funding recommendations to me before I make a final decision.
