Green Party Minister Roderic O’Gorman has launched the Building Blocks – Improvement Grant program. Grants between €35,000 and €75,000 will be available to childcare providers. They are aimed at upgrading facilities and green energy works.
As part of the government’s Climate Action Agenda, the grants aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51 percent by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
The scheme has two parts – a green energy component and a retrofit component.
The green energy component includes grants that will be provided to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources.
The Retrofit component will offer grants for services that require improvements. This could include, for example, refurbishment, equipment improvements, or roof repairs.
As reported by Wicklow Green Party TD for Wicklow, Deputy Steven Matthews has said new grants for childcare providers to undertake energy efficiency upgrades will reduce costs, lower carbon emissions, and ensure a warm and healthy environment for children and adults.
Minister for Children, Roderic O’Gorman TD said:
“These grants will very much improve the learning environment for many children. It’s important that our childcare facilities receive the benefit of government investment to retrofit buildings and increase energy efficiency. This scheme has multiple benefits. It creates warm, healthy spaces for children, it reduces costs for providers, and it helps reduce our carbon emissions.”
Green Party Spokesperson for Education, Senator Pauline O’Reilly added:
“This is a really important grant for the childcare sector. These facilities are where our children spend many hours in the day and it is critical that they are energy efficient. This will help provide a warm and healthy environment for children throughout the day and also reduce the cost of heating and energy for providers which is all very welcome. The Green Party wants to make Ireland the best country in Europe to raise children. Today’s announcement is part of a building block approach to achieving this, along with cuts to childcare costs, which we are calling for in this year’s budget.”
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