Mayo childcare providers urged to prepare applications for €9 million capital funding

THE Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring, has urged childcare providers in Mayo to prepare applications for the €9 million in capital funding being provided by the government.

Minister Ring said: “As we approach the new year, it is timely to remind childcare providers to be prepared for the upcoming opportunities to avail of capital funding for their facilities.

“The budget for the Early Learning and Care and School Age Capital programmes has been set at €6.1 million. A further announcement with details of an additional €3 million to be associated with the new Affordable Childcare Scheme will issue early in 2019. The programmes will be open for applications from early learning and care and school age childcare services in February 2019.”

Capital funding under the programmes will be delivered under the following three strands:

Strand A: Creation of new places for 0-3 year olds - €4.231 million (max. €50,000 per grant).

Strand B: Fire Safety for community early learning and care services – €0.875 million, (max. €15,000 per grant).

Strand C: Creation of new school age places - €1 million (max. €20,000 per grant).

Minister Ring continued: “More children than ever in the history of the state are accessing government funded subsidies for early learning and care. Since 2015 Government investment in childcare is up 117%.

“2019 is going to be one of the most significant years in the government’s efforts to transform one of the most expensive childcare services in the world into the best.”

In the recent Pobal Annual Sector Profile, almost a quarter of all services indicated their intention to expand in the next 12-months, creating over 15,000 additional spaces for children nationwide.

The government is ready to assist in creating additional capacity at a time of rapid expansion and transformation.

Further information on the application process, including detailed application guidelines, will be made available to services in January 2019.

Childcare providers in Mayo are encouraged to contact the local Childcare Committee to answer any questions they may have.