Additional childcare places in crèches are due to be provided following the allocation of €12 million to over 60 providers.
The carers include community-based and private childcare providers. They will receive €11 million in capital grant assistance and another €1 million to assist in staffing the crèches.
Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children Brian Lenihan claimed the funding to date under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme from 2000 to 2006 would create over 40,000 new childcare places and improve the situation for 32,000 other places.
After a litany of complaints from parents over poor standards at crèches were revealed earlier this week, Mr Lenihan said the Government's targets for the next five years included the creation of 50,000 new childcare places to meet needs for pre-school services and school age childcare.
The 50,000 places will include 5,000 after-school places and 10,000 pre-school education places for three to four year-olds, he said.
Mr Lenihan said the new National Childcare Strategy had given his office the tools to deliver under the €575 million National Childcare Investment Programme from 2006 to 2010.