Vol. 541 No. 2
875 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has received an application from an organisation (details supplied) for capital funding for a family centre; and when a decision on this application will be made. [21290/01]
As the Deputy may be aware, capital and staffing grant schemes for community-based not for profit groups are part of the Government child care funding initiatives administered under my Department's Equal Opportunities Child Care Programme 2000 to 2006. I have been informed by the equal opportunities child care section of my Department that a completed application form for a capital grant was received from the organisation in question on 23 May 2001. I understand from my officials that this capital grant application was forwarded to Area Development Management Limited on 24 May 2001. A technical assessment of this application will be carried out by ADM Limited prior to referral to the programme appraisal committee. I have requested an update from ADM Limited and have been advised that, given the costings of the project concerned, an independent architectural appraisal of this capital grant application will have to be carried out. Once the assessment and appraisal process is complete, I will make a decision shortly thereafter. In the interim, it would be premature of me to comment further on the application.
As the Deputy may be aware, in December 2000, I approved a staffing grant of IR£105,872 over three years. I understand that, to date, £20,000 of this staffing support for this organisation has been drawn down by the organisation.
