Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 March 2022
158. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of early learning and care services that applied for sustainability funding in 2021; and the number that received funding. [13342/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department received completed funding requests under the regular Sustainability Funding streams from three services in 2021. All three were approved. An additional two services had started the assessment process for the Early Intervention funding strand with Pobal, specifically seeking funding to contract an external consultant to provide advice on their business model. These services opted to pause the process until further information about Core Funding was available, so that any advice received would not be outdated.
A specific strand of funding to support services impacted by the pandemic, COVID-19 Impact Support, was also offered in 2021. This strand had a separate application process. The strand attracted more interest, with 203 services applying. However, due to the impact of other pandemic support measures such as EWSS, the actual need for this funding was low. Following financial assessment as part of the application process, four services were awarded funding on the basis that it was genuinely required.
