Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 November 2004
106 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount made available each year under the equal opportunities childcare programme since the inception of the programme; the amount expended in each of the respective years; [27241/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006, EOCP, is intended to increase the availability and quality of child care across the country. The programme is funded by the Exchequer and the European Union Structural Funds as part of the regional operational programmes of the national development plan. Initially, €317 million of Exchequer and EU Structural Funds was made available to the programme over the life of the national development plan. The Government increased this to over €436 million through an additional package of Exchequer funding and through interdepartmental transfers. In recognition of the many achievements of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 up to December 2003, the funding for the programme was recently increased to €449.3 million following transfers of EU and Exchequer funding. These transfers were based on recommendations made in the mid-term evaluations of the national development plan and its constituent operational programmes.
The Department's Estimate and outturn in respect of child care for each year up to October of 2004 is detailed in the table below:
|
Estimate (€ Million) |
Outturn (€ Million) |
|
|
Total |
Total |
|
|
2000 |
26.030 |
11.704 |
|
2001 |
88.521* |
30.338 |
|
2002 |
58.410 |
58.410 |
|
2003 |
68.260 |
66.260 |
|
2004 |
68.263 |
year to end October:55.813 |
*Note: Reflects transfers made from other Departments to the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme as referred to above.
It is important to remember that the EOCP is an EU supported programme and that an underspend in the early stages does not impact on the overall funding package which will be spent by 2007 in accordance with EU regulations. The Estimates' provisions for the initial years of the programme did not fully anticipate the delays associated with the creation of major new projects and it has subsequently been found that there is a lead-in time of approximately two years for large-scale capital projects. This is in line with infrastructure projects in other sectors and contributed to the underspend in the early years. As the programme has progressed, the annual Estimate has more closely matched the expected pattern of demand and the Deputy will be aware that the child care sector now has the capacity to grow rapidly and is so doing.
The total funding committed under the equal opportunities child care programme up to the end of September 2004 is over €264 million. Over 2,600 grants have been awarded to child care providers and community groups, which will, when fully drawn down, lead to the creation of approximately 29,700 new child care places and support almost 28,000 existing places. Since the inception of the programme every locality has benefited significantly from grants to provide new and enhanced community based child care facilities and indeed to support capital developments in the private child care sector.
It is important to note that the demand for grant support under the EOCP to date has been very high. It is expected that the full amount of the funding available will be expended over the life of the national development plan and that full use will be made of the €177 million of EU funding which is available to the programme. I am currently in discussion with the Minister for Finance and my Cabinet colleagues about the ongoing resource needs for the child care sector.
