Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2015
461. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is aware that a purpose-built child care facility (details supplied) in County Sligo remains closed; his Department's plans in terms of financial and expert support to assist the local child care committee in making arrangements to have the facility re-opened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34309/15]
View answerCapital funding totalling almost €820,000 was provided under the Equal Opportunity Childcare Programme (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP), in the period 2006 to 2008, to support the development of this childcare facility. This funding enabled the local community to put in place a modern childcare facility to help address the childcare needs of families in the area. Funding totalling more than €206,000 was provided under the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme in the period 2008 to 2014 to enable the service to provide childcare at reduced rates to qualifying low income and disadvantaged families who had children enrolled in the facility.
The management committee at the facility decided in October last year to close this childcare facility. A new committee was established locally earlier this year and Pobal and Sligo County Childcare Committee worked closely with this new committee to examine the possibility of re-opening the facility. I understand that it has been agreed in principle to allow the new committee at the facility to enter the three childcare support programmes implemented by this Department provided a number of conditions are adhered to. Sligo County Childcare Committee will continue to support the committee with a view to re-opening the facility in September 2016.
