I propose to take Questions Nos. 925 and 926 together.
My Department provides annual funding, totalling €11.3 million in 2012, to the thirty three City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) throughout the country.
The CCCs offer a wide variety of services including advice on setting up a childcare business, childcare information sessions, information on local childcare facilities and parent networks, and the co-ordination of training courses. The CCCs also play a very important role in the implementation of the childcare support programmes funded by my Department.
Funding is provided to the following CCCs: Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork City, Cork County, Donegal, Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick City, Limerick County, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, South Dublin, Tipperary North, Tipperary South, Waterford City, Waterford County, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow.
As part of Local Government reform, the two Childcare Committees in counties Waterford (city and county), Tipperary (north and south) and Limerick (city and county) will amalgamate to give each county one Childcare Committee.
My Department also provides funding, totalling €2.85m in 2012, to seven National Voluntary Childcare Organisations. These organisations, whose principal objective is to provide support at local level to their members, also play an important part in the development of childcare policy and the dissemination of important information in relation to childcare provision.
The National Voluntary Childcare Organisations supported by the Childcare Directorate are Barnardos, Childminding Ireland, Forbairt Naíonraí Teo, The Irish Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Association
(ISWECA), St. Nicholas Montessori Teacher’s Association (SNMTA), the Border Counties Childcare Network (BCCN) and Early Childhood Ireland (ECI).
Funding is also provided to services participating in the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme and the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programmes which are implemented by my Department. This funding, which is provided through capitation or subvention payments, forms a substantial part of the funding available to many early childhood care and education services currently operating in the country. The Child Welfare and Protection Policy Unit of my Department also provides funding to the ISPCC, Barnardos and Early Childhood Ireland (ECI).
The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides funding of €1.3m to Barnardos under the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund (Round 1), €689,000 to Gaisce and €492,000 to Léargas, Co-operation Ireland and Causeway.
Under the Youth Service Grant Scheme (YSGS), the Youth Affairs Unit provides funding, totalling almost €11m in 2012, to the following organisations:
An Óige
Belong To - LGBT
Catholic Guides of Ireland
Catholic Youth Care
Church of Ireland Youth Department
Confederation of Peace Corps
ECO - UNESCO Clubs
Experiment In International Living
Feachtas
Foróige
Girls' Brigade
Irish Girl Guides
Junior Chamber Ireland
Macra na Feirme
National Association for Youth Drama
National Federation of Arch Clubs
National Youth Council of Ireland
No Name Club Ltd
Ógra Chorcaí
Ógras
Order of Malta Cadets
Scouting Ireland Ltd
The Boys' Brigade
Voluntary Services International
Young Christian Workers
Young Irish Film Makers
Young Men's Christian Association
Youth Work Ireland
DYCW Methodist Church Ireland
Girls' Friendly Society
Presbyterian Youth
My Department is not be in a position to indicate the extent to which these bodies are in receipt of funding from other sources. In addition to the bodies mentioned above my Department also provides funds through a number of programmes to support other groups and organisations involved in the provision of services for children and young people. If details of any particular programmes are required by the Deputy, I will be glad to provide these.