Vol. 515 No. 2
78 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of day nursery places funded by his Department; the plans, if any, he has to increase this number during 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5581/00]
Health boards provide financial supports to certain pre-school services which cater for children who are regarded as being at-risk or disadvantaged. This function is in keeping with the boards' overall responsibilities under the Child Care Act, 1991, in regard to the promotion of the welfare of children and the provision of family support services. Funding of approximately £3.9 million, capital and revenue was provided by the health boards towards these services in 1999 and approximately 8,000 places were funded. An additional £1.75 million is being provided in 2000.
The Deputy will be aware that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform was allocated £250 million to develop child care over the next seven years under the National Development Plan, 2000-2006. This funding will facilitate the child care measures which were announced in Budget 2000. The main objective of the new measures is an increase in the quantity of child care places and also an improvement in the quality of services available. These measures comprise: the equal opportunities child care programme which includes grant supports to establish, upgrade, enhance and staff community based child care facilities; capital grants for private providers of child care catering for up to 20 child care places; grants to develop local child care networks and supports to enhance national voluntary child care organisations which provide advice, support and training to child care service providers.
The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is finalising the criteria and the eligibility requirements for the grant schemes at present and it intends to begin promoting the various initiatives shortly in the national media.
In addition, it was announced in budget 2000 that accelerated capital allowances, at the rate of 100% in the first year, will apply in relation to expenditure incurred on and from 1 December 1999 on child care facilities which meet the required standards as provided under the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations, 1996, the allowances are subject to clearance by the EU Commission.
