Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2023
87. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he will introduce a grant scheme to assist in the provision of large-scale preschool accommodation and the upgrading of existing childcare accommodation, as there is a need to increase substantially the level of grant aid to ensure adequate childcare accommodation in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55734/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraSome €69 million has been allocated over the period 2023-2025 to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars:
1. Building Blocks - Improvement Grant;
2. Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; and
3. Building Blocks - Innovation Grant.
Under the Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, €9 million was allocated earlier this year in grants ranging from €35,000 to €75,000 for energy upgrades and retrofit projects, which supported services in need of upgrading, such as kitchen refurbishments, roof repairs and the replacement of flooring.
Last week, I was pleased to announce Pillar 2 - the Building Blocks Capacity Grant. Under the Grant, €45m will be made available over 2024 and 2025 to deliver additional early learning and childcare places. The primary focus of the Grant is to increase capacity in the 1-3 age range for full day or part-time care.
The Building Blocks Capacity Grant will be split into two strand. Under the Expansion Grant Scheme, €15m will be made available from early 2024 to providers in areas of identified undersupply. Priority will be given to delivering full-time and part-time places within the 1-3 age group. Places for children under age 1 will also be eligible for funding. Projects of between €50,000 and €100,000 will be funded to deliver additional capacity where services can renovate/upgrade existing space to cater for more children.
The Capacity Grant will be split into two strands, an Expansion Grant Scheme, and a larger-scale Extension Grant Scheme. Both schemes will operate from 2024, to fund expansion projects in areas of identified undersupply. Funding under the Expansion Grant Scheme will be made available to providers from early 2024, with the larger scale Extension Scheme to be made available later in 2024.
The Capacity Grant will be open to Core Funding partner services. The awarding of grants will be informed by the results of a detailed needs analysis, which is currently underway, and which will identify capacity gaps and areas and categories of need.
