Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 January 2005
728 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of an application for funding by a person (details supplied); when a decision is likely to be made in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1211/05]
View answerIn December 2004, I considered the appraisal of a capital grant application under the equal opportunities childcare programme, EOCP, 2000-2006, from the group in question. The Deputy may be aware that over €132,500 in capital and staffing grant assistance has already been approved to the group.
The amount of capital funding available under the EOCP is limited and funding is prioritised to those projects which most closely focus on the aims and criteria of the programme, which clearly support the child care needs of parents in employment, education and training and which fill gaps in the availability of child care at local level. Consequently, factors taken into consideration during the appraisal of applications for capital grant assistance include ensuring that there is a regional and local spread of child care services to meet local need; ensuring value for money when considered in relation to the current guidelines on building costs; showing evidence of demand in the area for the level of service being proposed; and avoiding competition between services which would adversely affect their sustainability.
As the application in question has not fulfilled the relevant criteria and in the light of all information currently available, I concurred with the programme appraisal committee of the EOCP and did not make funding available to the project on this occasion. However, should the group wish to offer additional material to substantiate that submitted in its original application, it is open to the group to submit an appeal to my Department which will be appraised by ADM Limited and considered by the programme appraisal committee.
