Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 Sep 1999

Vol. 508 No. 1

Written Answers. - Resource Centres.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

731 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the proposal by the IPPA, the early childhood organisation, for a resource centre to accommodate four major child care organisations; the communication, if any, he has had with the Department of Finance regarding a once-off special project grant to reflect the Government's commitment to the child care sector. [17560/99]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue):

My Department has been approached by the IPPA, the Early Childhood Organisation, for assistance in relation to the capital cost of the refurbishment of premises for use as a resource centre and headquarters. The current estimate for this project is in excess of £1 million and the proposal includes a commitment to provide within these premises facilities for the National Children's Nurseries Association, National Childminding Association of Ireland and Children in Hospital (Ireland).

My Department provides funding for the development of child care services under the equal opportunities child care programme. The programme is part EU and Exchequer funded and secured a budget in excess of £6 million for the two year period 1998 and 1999, £3.4 million of which was allocated for capital purposes. This capital budget was linked to programme objectives of supporting the development of child care facilities in disadvantaged communities and of encouraging employer involvement in child care provision. All capital funding has been allocated for the development of 106 community based child care services and eight employer led consortia to develop child care services for their employees . In no case did capital grants provided under the programme meet the full capital costs of project proposals.

The initial budget for the equal opportunities child care programme was recently increased by a further £5 million to support training of child care workers and the organisational development of community and private child care providers. This funding arose from re-allocated European Social Funds. As this funding is linked to human resources development it could not be used for capital purposes. On 21 July 1999, I announced the allocation of approximately £1 million of this new allocation to national child care organisations including the IPPA, the National Childminding Association of Ireland and the National Children's Nurseries Association to fund specific proposals.

The matter of capital funding for a new resource centre and headquarters has been noted by my Department for further consideration in the event that additional capital funding is made available to the current equal opportunities child care programme. My Department has had no communication with the Department of Finance specifically regarding this project. However, the next phase of the equal opportunities child care programme will commence next year and the matter can be considered, together with proposals for other capital projects, in the context of the budget for that phase.