Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 173: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide further clarification on the early childhood and education scheme; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that some providers operate for 41 weeks of the year and require extra fees in order to pay for new equipment and so on; if it is the case that they are limited to charging €240 a month for 38 weeks of the year if they sign up to the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18899/09]

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 of Finance.

The Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is being introduced from January 2010 as a free scheme to benefit children in the key developmental period prior to commencing school. The scheme will allow children to avail of a free playschool place in their pre-school year, which will be provided for 3 hours per day, 5 days per week for 38 weeks. It will also allow children in their pre-school year who are attending full day or part-time day-care services to avail of a free session of 2 hours and 15 minutes per day, 5 days per week for 50 weeks. As the new scheme will be introduced from January next, the first full year will be from September 2010.

Participating children must, normally be aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months on the 1st September of each year. Exceptions will be allowed where children have special needs or it is necessary to accept children at an older age due to the enrolment policy of the local primary school. Playschool sessional services will receive capitation of €64.50 per week where children attend for 38 weeks with 15 hours per week free pre-school provision. Full and part-time day-care services will receive €48.50 per week where children attend for 50 weeks with 11 hours, 15 minutes per week free pre-school provision. Playschool sessional services may also participate on the basis of 11 hours, 15 minutes per week over 50 weeks. Services will receive payments at the start of each term.

As private sector services, it is a matter for each participating service to manage its business affairs including how the service aligns itself with the provisions of the scheme. However, it is noted that services participating in the free pre-school year scheme may charge parents for additional services which they provide, including additional hours and additional activities or services provided these are offered on an optional basis to parents and provided appropriate programme based activities are provided to children not participating in an additional activity.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason a childcare facility (details supplied) in Dublin 17 did not qualify for the grant for which they applied in 2008; and if a similar grant opportunity will be available in 2009. [18991/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP) is implemented by my Office.

Capital grant applications under the NCIP are processed in the first instance by the City and County Childcare Committees and are then forwarded to Pobal, who assist my Office in the day to day implementation of the programme, before being submitted for decision. A significant number of capital grant applications, including that of the applicant in question, were due to be considered for approval in the latter part of 2008.

As the Deputy will be aware it became necessary at that point to review Government expenditure, particularly in regard to new expenditure commitments. This process was finalised last month and all capital grant applicants under the NCIP were advised that funding could not be approved at this point under the programme. The capital allocation available to the NCIP is sufficient to meet existing capital grant commitments but is not expected to allow for the approval of any additional grant applications in 2009 or 2010.