Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the qualifications necessary for providers to be eligible under the new pre-school programme; her views on the difference between pre-school providers and child minders in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17664/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware I have responsibility for the implementation of the new scheme to provide a free Pre-School year of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) which was announced recently by the Minister for Finance. In addition to the requirements regarding staff ratios, as provided for under the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No. 2) Regulations 2006, a pre-school year Leader must be qualified to FETAC level 5 or 6, or equivalent thereto. During the initial period following introduction of the scheme, provision will be made to accommodate pre-school year Leaders who do not fully meet this requirement e.g. they have completed the core modules of FETAC level 5 only.

Up to 5,000 pre-school services will be invited shortly to apply to participate in the new scheme. This will include play-school sessional services and full and part-time childcare services notified to the Health Service Executive (HSE), childminders notified to the HSE and services registered with the Irish Montessori Education Board. To ensure that a satisfactory standard of pre-school provision is delivered, a minimum enrolment of 8 children is envisaged. Exceptions will be considered where, for good reason, a service has an enrolment of at least 8 children but only 3 or more are in their pre-school year and the remainder will be eligible for a pre-school year in the following year. In addition, subject to compliance with all other contractual requirements governing the scheme, child minding services with an enrolment of 5 children in their pre-school year, can apply to participate in the scheme.

All pre-school services admitted to the scheme, whether they are child minding or other types of pre-school services, will be subject to the scheme's requirements regarding the holding of a formal qualification in childcare.