Development plan includes €1bn for childcare

A CHILDCARE package costing in excess of €1 billion over the next seven years will feature in the Government’s multi-billion National Development Plan.

The seven-year plan, which will cost €180 billion, also commits to spending €50bn on “social inclusion”, which includes €20bn in funding aimed specifically at people with disabilities. Some €13bn of the planned budget for social inclusion will be spent on children’s programmes and about €9bn on services for older people.

The Government’s expected announcement at Dublin Castle today regarding the creation of more than 50,000 new childcare places is part of its plans to introduce 92,000 new places between 2000 and 2010.

Social infrastructure plans, focusing primarily on providing 60,000 new social housing units and 40,000 affordable homes, are expected to cost in the region of €30bn.

Hospitals, garda stations and a criminal courts complex for Dublin will also be financed.

Added to this, an investment of €50bn has been earmarked for economic infrastructure.

Significant funding of up to €300 million will be directed towards “growth gateways” such as Cork, Dundalk, Galway, Letterkenny, Sligo, Waterford, Limerick/Shannon and Athlone/Tullamore/Mullingar.

All of which were identified by the National Spatial Strategy.

In addition, the Transport 21 plan, costing €34bn and consisting of two Metro lines, Dart extensions, seven new Luas projects and new commuter rail services for Cork city and Galway city, will be implemented.

The previously announced national science and technology strategy, costing €38 billion, will be provided for under the plan. In the education sector, some €250m will be spent on school computers and information technology and €25bn for education and training.

The development plan entitled “Transforming Ireland — A Better Quality of Life for All” also includes a commitment to spending €1bn on Northern Ireland and border area projects.