Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2005
498 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding applications for child care under the EOCP for projects in the Ballyfermot, KWCD and canal communities area partnerships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21008/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that applications for capital grant assistance under the equal opportunities child care programme, EOCP 2000-2006, were submitted by a number of groups in the areas in question to my Department some time ago.
The level of demand for capital grant assistance was such that I considered it important to increase the capital provision for the current programme. Following discussions with my colleague the Minister for Finance, an additional capital provision of €90 million was made available for the period 2005-09, in the context of the 2005 budget.
This brings the total funding available for the programme to €499.3 million and the amount set aside for capital developments to €205 million. The availability of the additional capital funding will enable me to make capital grant assistance available to groups which can show that they address significant child care service gaps and where their project proposals represent good value for money when considered in relation to the current guidelines on building costs.
In light of this, some groups in the areas in question which have applied for capital grant assistance, were advised in December 2004, that while their projects had not been prioritised for immediate funding at that stage, they would be reconsidered for possible support in the future. The assessments on some of these projects have recently been completed by Area Development Management Limited, which administers the grants on my behalf. They are now under consideration by the EOCP appraisal committee, chaired by my Department, following which I will make a final decision on funding for the groups. The applicants will be informed of the outcome in due course.
Of the total funding committed to date, almost €5.5 million has been committed to child care projects in the Ballyfermot area. Since budget 2005, I have announced a record allocation totalling some €66 million in capital funding to community based not for profit groups, in two tranches, one in December 2004 and another on 4 March 2005. I hope to make further significant capital allocations in the very near future and thereafter during the remainder of 2005.
