Kildare South Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon has today (Wednesday) warmly welcomed the approval of funding of€356,450 to County Kildare Leader for the construction of a new Community Childcare Facility in Kilcullen by Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan. The funding had been delayed following disagreements between Kildare Leader and the Department on qualifying criteria. It is expected that County Kildare Leader will now ratify this project.
“I have been in constant contact with Minister Hogan for the last six weeks since this issue was first raised to highlight the importance of the project and I am delighted that it has now been successfully resolved. Irrespective of how the problem arose, I fought to ensure that this funding was secured for the Community of Kilcullen. This facility has been two years in the planning thanks to the voluntary efforts of many hard working local people and will be a huge benefit to the town.
“I was happy to attend a public meeting in Kilcullen on the issue and hear the concerns raised by parents, following which I hosted a play group in my Newbridge office in conjunction with the organising committee to highlight the issue further.
“The project had progressed to the tender stage on the anticipation of this funding and a local construction company is ready to begin work. The Committee have raised over €30,000 in local fundraising to provide matching funds in the past two years as well as sourcing other elements from Kildare County Council and Clann Credo.
I would like to compliment the hard working committee on their enormous effort in getting this project so far and past so many hurdles. I look forward to seeing all of their hard work now come to fruition.