Gerard Murphy
Ceist:640 Mr. G. Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when funding will be provided to a group (details suppled) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19517/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 14 June 2005
Ceisteanna (613)
Freagraí scríofa
As the Deputy may be aware, the community based group in question was awarded a staffing grant of €65,000 in December 2002 and a further €170,000, over two years in April 2004. This brings the total amount of staffing approved for this project under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, EOCP, 2000-2006, to €235,000, over a three year period. This amount of staffing grant assistance was considered to be appropriate to the level of service being offered and to the level of disadvantage in the area. In addition, the group was awarded capital grant assistance under the EOCP of €1 million in December 2002.
Following a detailed review of the existing staffing grants under the EOCP, I recently extended the terms of the grants to the end of December 2007 to groups which have received staffing grants for a period of three or more years and which continue to deliver a child care service in accordance with their pre-agreed targets. To benefit from such funding, the groups must continue to pay particular attention to the support of disadvantaged families and the implementation of a fee structure tailored to the differing economic circumstances of the client group and which ensures that child care places subsidised by the EOCP are targeted towards those most in need.
The staffing grant assistance already approved to the group in question will continue to support them until the end of June 2006. At that point, if the group continues to meet the criteria for extended funding, it can have the expectation that it will continue to receive staffing grant support until the end of 2007.