A £250 million strategy for the development of childcare services was presented yesterday by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr O'Donoghue.
Some £14 million is to be spent this year plus almost £40 million each year over the next six years on establishing, renovating and upgrading childcare facilities and subsidising the salaries of childcare workers.
For the first time small, private childcare providers and creches will be able to apply for grants. However, the funding - allocated under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 - is aimed primarily at not-for-profit community groups in disadvantaged areas.
Mr O'Donoghue said the investment would result in a vast improvement in the availability of childcare services. As well as substantially increasing the number of places, it should reduce the cost of childcare services to parents.
"This will give women in particular an opportunity of some respite or alternatively the opportunity to go out to work or do education or training."
Mr O'Donoghue presented the new funding package at the Ronanstown Community Childcare Centre in Neilstown, west Dublin, which was set up two years ago with the funds from the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP).
The centre caters for 58 children but has a waiting list of almost double that. Its manager, Ms Catherine McConville, said: "We could have another two or three of these centres in this area and we would still not meet the needs."
She said costs to parents had been kept down, thanks to the funding of three full-time childcare workers under the EOCP. Parents are charged either £32.50 a week for part-time care or £60 a week for full-time care per child.
The EOCP was introduced by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in 1998 with a budget of £11 million, comprising EU and Exchequer funding, over two years. Already, more than 100 community-based childcare facilities have benefited from capital grants under the programme.
Under the new funding package, both capital and staffing grants will be made available to not-for-profit community groups. In addition, self-employed childcare service-providers catering for no more than 20 children at any one time will be able to apply for funding.
Grants will also be made available to national voluntary childcare organisations, local networks and bodies involved in training.
The Government is funding further initiatives through other Departments, including the Department of Education and Science, which is making available £5 million a year to schools to develop after-school childcare services. The Department of Health and Children has been allocated £1.4 million to strengthen its inspection services and provide an advisory service for parents and providers.
New services are being developed under the National Development Plan to enable them to be supported by EU funding. Each County Development Board is to establish its own childcare committee.
Advertisements have been placed in national and local newspapers this week inviting applications for funding under the new package. Application forms and guidelines are available from the Department's childcare section. Tel: (01) 667-0344
