Vol. 539 No. 3
180 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his position in relation to parents' concerns that child care centres which are being closed are not being replaced quickly enough by new facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19522/01]
My Department has responsibility for leading the development of child care service delivery in Ireland. A sum of £344 million comprising EU and Exchequer funding has been allocated to my Department over the course of the National Development Plan, 2000 to 2006 to improve child care provision and quality throughout the country. This, as I am sure the Deputy will acknowledge, represents the most significant investment in child care by any Government in the history of the State.
The funding, which has a focus on equal opportunities and social inclusion, is being promoted as the equal opportunities child care programme, 2000-06 and is targeted at services which offer daycare facilities and services for pre-school children and school-going children out of school hours. The overall aims of the programme are to improve the quality of child care in Ireland, to maintain and increase the number of child care facilities and child care places and to introduce a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of child care services.
On 28 April 2000, I announced the availability of capital and staffing grants for community based-not for profit child care organisations. Capital grants for small scale self-employed/private providers catering for no more than 20 children were also made available for the first time. In October 2000, I was pleased to announce that capital grants are now available to private providers who cater for more than 20 children. Grants are also available for quality improvement projects such as local child care networks, child care training and innovative projects. Applications for funding under these and other measures can be made by submitting the relevant application form to my Department's equal opportunities child care section.
Applications are assessed according to the following five criteria: the socio economic profile of the area relating to the application; the quality of the proposal; the capacity of the applicant/s to implement the project; the level of integration-co-ordination; the costings-value for money of the proposal.
The progress of my Department's equal opportunities child care programme is confirmation of the Government's commitment to developing child care supply in Ireland. Since the announcement of the availability of funding in April 2000, I have committed funding in excess of £40 million to over 470 child care projects on the ground, both in the community and private sector. To date, over 14,000 child care places will be supported by this funding which will ensure both the continuation of existing places and the creation of almost 6,000 new child care places. The funding will also enable many of the services extend their hours of operation and enhance the quality of the child care provided. In addition, I have approved funding of over £10 million for quality improvement projects such as local child care networks, innovative projects, local child care training models, the childminders Initiative and supports for the national voluntary child care organisations. This brings the total amount allocated under the equal opportunities child care programme to over £50 million to date.
181 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the grant limit for child care facilities does not allow for private child care providers to get a subsidy, nor does it allow for larger child care centres to be adequately aided on the capital side as there is a cap on the amount that may be given; if he will reconsider these two aspects of policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19523/01]
As the Deputy is aware, it is open to self-employed/private providers to apply for a capital grant under the equal opportunities child care programme 2000-2006 which is operated by my Department. A sum of £344 million comprising EU and Exchequer funding has been allocated to my Department over the course of the National Development Plan, 2000 to 2006 to improve child care provision and quality throughout the country. The objectives of this funding are to increase the availability of child care places, to improve the quality of child care provision and to ensure the co-ordination of child care service provision on a local and national basis. This funding has an equal opportunities and social inclusion perspective and focuses on provision of child care to allow parents, particularly women, to avail of training, education or employment.
