Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
736. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the capital funding schemes available for childcare services; his plans to provide for additional capital funding towards the development and expansion of community childcare centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19066/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has, since 2015, administered an annual capital funding programme, under which early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services providers are invited to apply for capital funding to increase capacity and to maintain and improve their services.
The 2020 Capital programme was launched on 26 February with a budget of €7.2million. However, it was necessary, as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic, to suspend the 2020 Capital programme on March 26.
On 10 June 2020 a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of early learning and care services which included an additional €7m in Capital funding, resulting in a total budget of €14.2 million which was shared between all services.
The application process for the 2020 Capital programme, which is administered by Pobal, is open for applications on the Early Years Platform, (the Hive) until 28 August 2020.
My Department will run a new capital programme in 2021 details of which will issue to all services later in the year.
