Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
468. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is any capital funding available to private childcare facilities who need to relocate due to expansion of their service. [51814/23]
View answerSome €69 million has been allocated over the period 2023-2025 to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars:
Building Blocks - Improvement Grant;
Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; and
Building Blocks - Innovation Grant.
Under the Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, €9 million was allocated earlier this year in grants ranging from €35,000 to €75,000 for energy upgrades and retrofit projects, which have supported services in need of upgrading, such as kitchen refurbishments, roof repairs and the replacement of flooring. This scheme is now closed and my Department does not have further capital funding available for the early learning and childcare sector in 2023.
Work is currently underway on the design and delivery of Pillars 2 and 3, which have a combined allocation of €20 million in 2024 and €40 million in 2025.
The Building Blocks – Capacity Grant will fund an expansion of existing services in areas of under-supply. Funding may also be provided to support the development of new services, where most needed. At present, I do not anticipate that capital funding will be made available to childcare facilities seeking to relocate in order to expand their service.
The Building Blocks – Innovation Grant will pilot a range of innovative initiatives such as outdoor early learning and childcare services.
I hope to formally announce the Building Blocks – Capacity Grant in the coming weeks.
