Kathleen Funchion on Kilkenny childcare funding and capital grants

This question is in relation to community childcare providers in Kilkenny City, so it is unusual for a community facility, they are actually in two private houses that they rent, sorry it was converted a number of years ago, so it is purpose built in that sense, but it is unusual in terms of the rent that they are paying, unlike a lot of other community facilities, and they have an overspill into a local GAA club at the moment for the after schools trying to provide the service, but I will expand more in the next round. Thank you Chair, good morning Deputy, so ensuring high quality early learning and childcare is accessible and affordable is a key priority for me, and there are a number of funding programmes available through my department that seek to improve capacity, which will be open to the village childcare and community service. So the new core funding scheme has a range of objectives, and that includes capacity growth, and even though this scheme is only in place since the 12th of September, initial analysis show that there has been significant growth in capacity, with capacity growth in particular for those cohorts where we need it, so baby rooms and toddler rooms. To meet the costs of capacity growth, I recently announced that the original allocation of core funding will be increased to €259 million for year one of the scheme, and in addition the full value of the core funding will be increased by €28 million to €287 million in year two of the scheme. So funding earmarked for scheme in year two will be informed by the emerging data from year one, and may focus on promoting further capacity expansion. In addition, my department secured €70 million under the revised national development plan for the Building Blocks Capital Programme, which has been designed to meet current and long-term early learning and childcare infrastructure needs. This programme has three pillars. The first pillar is 10 million modernisation grants to improve energy efficiency standards, while also supporting the continuous improvement of the physical environment of services. The second pillar, probably the major pillar, is a €45 million pillar for capacity grants to address capacity gaps, to fund an extension in existing services, and investing in the development of new services where they are needed most. And then finally, there's a €15 million innovation grants to pilot a range of innovative initiatives such as outdoor early learning and childcare services. So pillar one, the modernisation grant will open for applications later this year. Pillars two and pillar three will be open from next year on and will be available for applications. So I think particularly maybe in terms of the village childcare service, you know, they have the opportunity if they want to undertake some modernisation of their buildings, they can look for the modernisation grant, which will be open from this year. And then that more substantial capacity expansion funding will be available from next year to them and indeed to all other services. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Minister. Yeah, you see, it's as I said, it's an unusual situation in that they don't own the building. So obviously, like the modernisation grant would be fine. But at the same time, I suppose it's sort of like when you're renting a house, you're putting work into something that you're never going to own. So, but I am interested in this, the second part, the 45 million, I think that might be relevant to them. Is that going to be available from 2023? And how do they kind of go about that? Because often even when people come to us and they either want to expand or maybe open a facility, you sort of don't even know where to start. Who do they actually speak to? But as this service is already operating under the community model, I think, and the work that they do is incredible. And actually, the reason that they've expanded into the local GAA club and in fairness to the James Stevens GAA club, they've given them the use of this is because they had like around 100 kids waiting for after schools. So it's, you know, and they were able to facilitate a huge amount of them because of that, because they do the collection. It's really unique service, I suppose, and it's really, really valuable. Is there a way for them to apply for that to try and get a, like a vacant building, basically, I suppose, the crux of it? Minister. Thanks very much. So we announced the modernisation. That's the first, the 10 million scheme. We announced that about a month ago. So I think the best thing they could do is maybe engage with their local, the Kilkenny County Child Care Committee and talk to them in terms of making an application under that. I absolutely understand what you're saying. And indeed, for a lot of community facilities, they don't own the facility. A lot of community childcare facilities are in rented accommodation. So look, I'll certainly bear that in mind in terms of designing the scheme for the second, the capacity expansion grants, that larger grant scheme. So I would hope to open that later, later next year, and then it will be, the funding will be available. We're kind of building up to, like previously our department hadn't done very significant capital. It had a couple of million every year, but obviously we've got a lot more in the NDP. That's really positive and we just have to build up our capacity to get that money out to services. But also, I suppose, we'll be getting a lot of applications in and judging what are the best applications and, you know, targeting particularly to those areas where we do need expanded capacity. Thanks. Yeah, no, it's like it services a huge amount of the schools in the city area, and particularly, I suppose, the collection for the after schools, you know, I mean, that is invaluable for parents. I often wish I, you know, I could avail of that service at times, but then I just, you never know what time we're going to end up leaving here. So that's definitely not going to be suitable. But it's such a great service when they can offer that for people. And it's brilliant for the kids as well, because it's, you know, there's lots of activities as well as maybe a bit of help with homework as well as food. So it's, they're ticking all the boxes as such. But under that scheme, and I see you're saying like late 2023, possibly into 2024, is that realistically going to be a scheme that people can apply for it to actually purchase a building? Or is it really, do you think, more upgrading works? I suppose what I'm trying to find out is, because they have these two houses at the moment, and now are also in a GAA club, and they have such more demand, they could actually service a lot more, even if they had the space. I suppose, can they apply for that to get a vacant building? Is that the right fund for them? Or if it's not, I suppose, where do they go from here? Thanks. So the modernisation fund that's been opened already isn't the right, that is just modernisation and upgrading their existing buildings. But the capital expansion, sorry, the capacity expansion scheme is about bringing new services online. So again, we're still working on the, I suppose, the criteria for it, but certainly that is my desire, that we want, we need new capacity, and we want services to expand. It's interesting, core funding that we brought in has actually already started to deliver expanded capacity, and I suppose our focus in our debates here was very much on better wages for staff. But it is actually also increasing the capacity, and I have a couple of questions later on that I'll address that. Just one more thing on capacity, the planning laws, we need to make planning regulations that are linked to when 75 units of housing are built, a childcare facility is built. That's there at the moment, but it's not delivering. It's not delivering in a lot of places. So I've been engaging with local authorities, trying to kind of get the on the ground experience, and we'll also be engaging with housing to sharp, to tighten up those regulations so they do deliver. That's well. That's when I go to the building. Right? That's when I go to the building. So we're doing that now to the building. So, so, that's just a little too. I'm a good example, though. That's a little too. So, I'm going to give a lot of stuff like this. I just need to give a lot of stuff like this. So, so that's it. And that's just an experience. So, I'm going to give you a minute. I'm going to give a little bit more, and I'll give you a minute.