Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2018
949. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding supports available for the development of early years sessional childcare facilities, including capital grants; the supports available for the development of facilities that offer full-time childcare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44735/18]
View answerMy Department's annual capital offering for childcare has supported the development of full-time and sessional childcare services in terms of capacity, maintenance and quality.
The total Capital allocation for Early Years in 2018 was €6.86m. From a budget of €6.36m, the 2018 Early Years and School Age Childcare Capital Programmes achieved the following:
- 85 applications approved for the creation of 1,950 new early years places: 697 0-3 places, 1,253 ECCE places;
- 57 Essential maintenance and repair projects funded for community early years services;
- 157 Natural outdoor play areas built in early years services;
- 45 applications approved for the creation of 807 new school age childcare places;
- 54 Essential maintenance and repair projects funded for community school age childcare services.
Work is on-going on the 2018 Capital Programmes and final reporting has not been completed. Therefore, the above figures are provisional, subject to decommitals and contract refusals.
In 2017, the total capital outturn for the Early Years and School Age Childcare Capital Programmes was €11.757m . These programmes achieved the following:
- 93 applications funded for the creation of 2,357 new early years places: 610 0-3 places, 1,747 ECCE places;
- 130 Building improvements and maintenance projects funded for community early years services;
- 452 Natural outdoor play areas built in early years services;
- 114 grants approved for building new school age childcare services, creating 3,390 new school age childcare places
- 112 grants approved for expanding existing school age childcare services, creating 1,934 new school age childcare places;
- 263 Improvement of existing school age childcare services projects funded.
My Department also offers a total of €0.5m under the Childminding Development Grant (€0.25m) and the Parent & Toddler Grant (€0.25m) annually.
The total capital budget for Early Years in 2019 has been confirmed at €8.86m. The details of 2019's Capital offering are currently in development and an announcement on these will issue to all childcare providers once they have been finalised.
It is intended that this funding will be used to support necessary improvements to childcare infrastructure and to support childcare providers in preparation for the launch of the Affordable Childcare Scheme.
