As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), which are being implemented by the Office of the Minister for Children.
Staffing grant assistance was previously approved for the Group in question of €84,786 under the EOCP, which included €76,786 over three years in November 2000 and a further €8,000 in February 2004. Capital grant assistance of €25,554 was also approved for the Group in March 2002. An application by the Group for further staffing grant assistance over three years, was appraised by the Programme Appraisal Committee (PAC) recently.
The PAC did not recommend to the Secretary General that he approve further staffing grant assistance to the Group under the EOCP, as the Group had not met the reporting requirements regarding the previous grant assistance allocated. The Secretary General concurred with the recommendation of the PAC not to approve additional funding in this instance and the Childcare Directorate of my Office informed the Group of this decision.
The Group recently appealed this decision and the appeal has been forwarded to Pobal, who carry out detailed assessments of all grant applications on behalf of the Office of the Minister for Children. Following Pobal's assessment of the application, a recommendation will be made to the PAC, prior to a decision being made by the Secretary-General. The Group will be informed of the outcome in due course.
