Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2015
465. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the criteria used for allocating funding to community child care services under strand 1 of early years capital programme 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34471/15]
View answerA total of €7 million was provided under the Early Years Capital Programme in 2015. Under this programme, applications were invited from all early years services contracted to deliver the Department of Children and Youth Affairs childcare programmes. All applications submitted were evaluated by Pobal, who administers the programme on behalf of my Department.
Strand 1 of the programme provided for large scale capital grant funding in the region of €500,000 for the relocation or major refurbishment of community/not for profit early years services.
Under the criteria of the programme, projects must be completed, and grant funds fully reported, by December 2015. As such, the “readiness” of a project to proceed, and be completed within the timeframe, was a major consideration when Pobal was reviewing the applications. Applicants that could best demonstrate “readiness” were those that:
a) had obtained full planning permission, or could demonstrate that planning was not required;
b) had completed an appropriate tendering process where tenders were still in date and valid; and,
c) had confirmation that the project could be completed within the timeframe available.
Applications that were successful were those that represented the most complete, coherent, precise and compelling cases for funding. The investment is being directed, to the best extent possible, to making the greatest impact by addressing the most urgent works and supporting the quality of services making the greatest impact for disadvantaged children and communities.
