Zappone still in dark after €133m of childcare grants are doled out

It has emerged that Minister for Children Katherine Zappone does not know how many state-funded childcare facilities are still operating after the awarding of €133 million in grants.

There were grants of up to €1.2 million for community creches and up to €100,000 for new or expanding private creches under the National Childcare Investment Programme. Some of them had to stay in operation for as little as three years to draw down grants.