Athlone childcare providers get €170k in grants for energy upgrades

Childcare companies in the Athlone area have been awarded grants totalling more than €170,000 for green energy upgrades of their facilities.

It was announced on Thursday last that Grovelands Childcare had been approved for a grant of €62,469 toward works at its Corran Riada facility in Monksland. Grovelands was also awarded a grant of €71,839 for work at another of its local childcare facilities in the IDA Business Park in Athlone.

In addition, the Gingerbread Preschool in Bealnamulla, Athlone, will benefit from grant funding of €39,176.

The grants were announced on Thursday as part of a nationwide allocation of €9 million for 141 early learning and childcare services under the 'Building Blocks - Improvement Grant' scheme.

The Athlone-area childcare providers were awarded funding under the Green Energy funding strand of the scheme.

This means their grants can go towards a range of energy efficiency works, including ventilation improvements, solar panel installation, heat pumps, water conservation measures, efficient heat generators, insulation and dry lining, boiler upgrades, and electrical vehicle charging points for staff.