Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 April 2023
341. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can detail in relation to the building blocks grant scheme, the total number of applicants who applied for these supports; the number of applicants who failed to receive the grant; the number of successful applicants, in tabular form, per county council area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20133/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department was allocated €69m in the National Development Plan allocation. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars: Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, Building Blocks - Capacity Grant and a Building Blocks - Innovation Grant.
My Department has allocated €9m in 2023 for The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) facilities.
Grants range from €35,000 to €75,000 across two separate strands: Green Energy and Retrofit.
The Green Energy Strand will support the Climate Action Agenda and the Programme for Government, which aim to transition to a carbon neutral economy by the end of 2050 and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030.
The Retrofit Strand will provide grants to existing services in need of upgrading. Eligible works include kitchen works and refurbishment, upgrading of sanitary facilities for children and adults, roof repairs/replacement, and upgrading of flooring.
Services that signed up for the Core Funding Scheme were eligible for funding under the scheme.
The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant is part of a wider Building Blocks Capital Programme for Early Learning and Childcare under the National Development Plan. It is designed to meet current and long-term Early Learning and Childcare infrastructure needs – with proposals for a Building Blocks - Capacity Grant and a Building Blocks - Innovation Grant being considered.
Overall, 946 services submitted applications, out of a total eligible cohort of 4,200 services, which have signed up to Core Funding.
Table 1 details a breakdown of the 946 total received applications. The figures are available per strand, with figures noted for funded in 2023 and those that were unsuccessful. In addition, Table 2 provides a breakdown per strand, per each County Council area for those successfully funded.
Table 1
|
Building Blocks Improvement Grant |
Funded |
Not Funded |
Grand Total |
|
Strand A - Green Energy (minimum €35,000/max. €75,000) |
82 |
270 |
352 |
|
Strand B - Retrofit (minimum €35,000/max. €75,000) |
59 |
535 |
594 |
|
Grand Total |
141 |
805 |
946 |
Table 2 - Funded
|
Council Area |
Strand A - Green Energy (minimum €35,000/max. €75,000) |
Strand B - Retrofit (minimum €35,000/max. €75,000) |
Total |
|
Carlow |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavan |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
Clare |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Cork City |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
Cork County |
3 |
5 |
8 |
|
Donegal |
4 |
3 |
7 |
|
Galway |
12 |
5 |
17 |
|
Kerry |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Kilkenny |
6 |
1 |
7 |
|
Laois |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Leitrim |
3 |
2 |
5 |
|
Limerick |
1 |
4 |
5 |
|
Longford |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
Louth |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Mayo |
3 |
3 |
6 |
|
Meath |
6 |
3 |
9 |
|
Monaghan |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Offaly |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Roscommon |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Sligo |
1 |
4 |
5 |
|
Tipperary |
4 |
2 |
6 |
|
Waterford |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Westmeath |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Wexford |
5 |
2 |
7 |
|
Wicklow |
4 |
1 |
5 |
|
Dublin City |
3 |
2 |
5 |
|
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown |
2 |
6 |
8 |
|
Fingal |
2 |
2 |
4 |
|
South Dublin |
1 |
4 |
5 |
|
Grand Total |
82 |
59 |
141 |
