I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 — 2010, under which capital grant funding is made available to community and commercial childcare providers for the development of childcare facilities, and also for the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) which provides funding to community-based not for profit childcare facilities to enable them to charge reduced fees to disadvantaged and low income families.
In 2008, the company in question received capital grant approval under the NCIP for €1 million to develop a community childcare facility. In addition, as a large-scale capital project scheduled to open in February 2009, the company received CCSS grant approval for €54,600, to assist with the start up costs of the project from January to December 2009. The project did not open until September 2009 and I understand that a payment of €22,570 has been made to the company in respect of the period August 2009 to December 2009 and that the balance will be paid to the company to cover the period January to July 2010.
NCIP funding is subject to contractual requirements to safeguard the State's investment. My Office has arranged for Pobal, which assists in the administration of the NCIP including the CCSS, to engage with the company to ensure that they develop a more robust financial plan to support the future sustainability of the project.
