Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 1

Written Answers. - Child Care Services.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

995 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason no funding has been approved for an equal opportunities child care facility at Mountwood, Dun Laoghaire, for which an application was made in October 2000; the reason for the delay in this application; when a decision will be made on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2158/02]

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

In December 2000 my Department received an application under the Equal Opportunities Child care Programme, 2000-2006 for a capital grant for the construction of a community based child care facility from Mountwood Fitzgerald community development project. I assume this is the project to which the Deputy refers.

During the initial assessment of this application, my officials became aware that a proposal by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for the redevelopment of the Mountwood Fitzgerald area, to include a child care facility, is also under consideration by the Department of the Environment and Local Government. I understand from my colleague, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, that a revised design proposal is awaited from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for this latter proposal.

My officials are liaising with the Department of the Environment and Local Government in relation to this revised proposal for Mountwood. In the interim, it would be premature of me to comment further on the capital grant application under the equal opportunities child care programme.

The Deputy may not be aware that I approved a staffing grant of 136,295, £107,341, in July 2001 to support out-of-school hours child care services in the Mountwood Fitzgerald community development project. This grant award was made by me following the transfer of responsibility for these services from the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs to me early last year.

A further application for staffing funding was received by my Department from the Mountwood Fitzgerald project in November 2001. This application has been forwarded to ADM Limited for a technical assessment prior to its referral to the programme appraisal committee. Once this assessment and appraisal process is complete, I will make a decision on funding.