A 10-year plan which aims to improve significantly the lives of disadvantaged children living in the Tallaght West area of Dublin could cost the Government as little as €8 million to implement in its first three years, it has emerged.
This is because any funding provided by the Government may be matched by Atlantic Philanthropies, which is backed by the Irish-American billionaire, Chuck Feeney.
The Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative, launched by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, yesterday, has been developed through consultation with parents, children and others in the area, as well as regional and national policy-makers.
Mr Ahern indicated that a funding request for the initiative would be considered as part of this year's budget. But he did not give a specific commitment to fund the initiative at yesterday's launch.
The 10-year strategy, entitled "A Place for Children", outlines a number of key goals.
These focus on areas such as early childhood care and education and the development of services targeted at the needs of children living in the Brookfield, Fettercairn, Killinarden and Jobstown areas of Tallaght West.
The director of the project, Dr Katherine Zappone, told The Irish Times that the programme would cost €15.6 million to implement in its first three years. However, she was hopeful that Atlantic Philanthropies, which has funded the initiative to date, would match any Government funding.
The estimated total cost of the programme over 10 years was €120 million, she added, with increases in the later stages of the initiative partly explained by the fact that Tallaght West has a population growth rate which is "at least twice the national average."
"We didn't really expect [ Mr Ahern] would come here with a cheque," she said.
"But what we do expect is that we will hopefully have a commitment to the strategy before Christmas."
Speaking in front of hundreds of local schoolchildren, parents and community representatives, Mr Ahern said the strategy showed there was a need for "joined-up thinking" across all Government departments.