Fifty-one childcare organisations throughout the State have been allocated grant assistance totalling almost €35 million to enable them to open new and improved facilities.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell, said the allocation to community-based and not-for-profit organisations was expected to create 2,080 new childcare places and enhance the quality of 1,420 existing places.
"This is a particularly exciting announcement because it is the first of many I expect to make over the coming years, thanks to the increased provision for the capital development of the childcare sector made in Budget 2005," Mr McDowell said. "This funding will greatly help support the childcare needs of parents throughout Ireland."
This allocation comprises €25 million of EU co-funded grant assistance under the existing NDP provision and €10 million from the new and additional capital provision of €90 million made available to the Minister from 2005 to 2009, he said.
The number of new childcare places being created under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme using funding allocated to date now exceeded 33,500 and of these, 20,500 were already in place by June 2004.
"The Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme is making very real changes in every corner of Ireland thanks to the efforts of community-based not-for-profit groups who are working closely to address their local childcare needs," Mr McDowell said.
"I am very appreciative of these efforts and look forward to seeing the fruits of this additional capital funding, which will make a considerable contribution to communities, both urban and rural, throughout the country."
The Budget's funding of €90 million had increased the total budget for the 2000-2006 EOCP by €50 million to €99.3 million. The remaining €40 million of the new capital funding provision would be available for allocation from 2008 to 2009.