Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 December 2018
33. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a value for money review will be undertaken of the national childcare investment programme which operated from 2006 to 2010 with a particular focus on the private sector capital funding element of the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52295/18]
View answerThe NCIP (National Childcare Investment Programme, 2006 - 2010) Capital Programme was a strategic infrastructural programme within the childcare sector with an aim to address local needs and meet local demands in the provision of childcare places.
A total of €177.8m was awarded under the programme to 847 childcare facilities. Of these, 501 were private providers, receiving a total of €33m in funding. The NCIP represents the most recent programme of large-scale capital investment in childcare in the country. Pobal produced a closure report in 2013 which provided data on the outputs from the programme.
The model of early learning and care and school age childcare currently in operation in Ireland is one of a market model, relying on private businesses as well as community / not for profits. Hence, NCIP and indeed ongoing annual capital schemes are open to both to continue to build capacity and meet demand.
As the Deputy may be aware, under the National Development Plan 2018-2027 and the National Planning Framework, I ensured that childcare was included as a key strategic priority, and I secured €250m in capital funding as part of this.
My Department has started work with Pobal :-
- to consider how best this investment can be used to increase access to high quality places in the medium and long term
- to audit existing capital infrastructure on a national level
- to understand the need that exists now and will exist in the coming years as the Affordable Childcare Scheme is rolled out, and
- to learn from previous capital investment schemes, including the NCIP.
I will be happy to brief Deputies further as this work progresses and as the detail of our plans emerge.
