Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 Jun 2001

Vol. 537 No. 5

Written Answers. - Child Care Facilities.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

541 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the sources of funding available to vocational schools for the provision of child care facilities for VTOS and other students; if it is open to schools to apply for such funding to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; if such applications are supported by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16674/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

A provision of £2.460 million has been made available to my Department in the financial year 2001 to support child care for participants on VTOS, Youthreach and senior Traveller training programmes operated by the Vocational Education Committees (VECs). The funds can be used for: direct provision of crèche facilities, including staffing, overheads and refurbishment, where appropriate; purchase of places in existing crèches, subject to a maximum of £50 per week per child for full sessions; and payment to childminders to a maximum of £50 per week per child, subject to appropriate invoicing arrangements, compliance with registration requirements under the Childcare Act and satisfactory implementation of tax clearance arrangements.

Figures available for the academic year 2000-01 show that 1,050 students on VTOS, Youthreach and Traveller programmes are benefiting from the measure, catering for 1,308 children.

In addition, £344 million, comprising EU and Exchequer funding, has been allocated to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform over the course of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 to improve child care provision and quality throughout the country. It is open to all schools to apply for this funding. Under the programme, capital grants are available to both community based/not-for-profit groups and self-employed/private providers of child care facili ties. Staffing grants are also available for community based/not-for-profit groups who have a particular focus on disadvantage. Applications for funding for these and other measures can be made by submitting the relevant application form to the equal opportunities child care section of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

An appraisal committee, chaired by an official of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, meets on a monthly basis to examine proposals and applications. My Department is represented on this committee.