I secured €6m capital funding in Budget 2012 to fund a maintenance programme for childcare facilities. The funding will provide for urgent and essential repairs to childcare facilities to ensure that they are in a position to remain open and continue to provide the three childcare programmes implemented by my Department.
The maximum grant available to individual services under the programme is €50,000 (including VAT).
Pobal is administering the capital programme on behalf of my Department, and I understand that the appraisal process in now complete. In appraising applications, particular consideration and priority has been given to:
Applications that were accompanied by a Health Service Executive pre-school inspection report supporting the need for the proposed works in terms of compliance with the Pre-School Regulations;
Applications that best demonstrated the need for the proposed works in terms, for example, of quality improvement to the childcare service;
Services previously funded under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006, or the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010;
Services located in or servicing areas of disadvantage;
The service's previous record in relation to adherence to contractual obligations under previous capital and current funding programmes.
I understand that Pobal has contacted Members of the Oireachtas with a view to providing an update on the outcome of the appraisal process. Furthermore a relevant contact point on the Pobal website, to which current and future queries should be directed, has also been provided.