Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 148: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the consultation that took place with the national voluntary childcare organisations and the city and county child care committees regarding the introduction of the early childhood care and education scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20436/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The decision to introduce a free Pre-School Year in early childhood care and education (ECCE) from January 2010, at an estimated annual cost of over €170 million, was announced as part of the package of measures provided for in the April Supplementary Budget. As a budgetary initiative, details of the scheme were not publicly available prior to the Budget announcement.

Immediately following the announcement, details regarding the scheme were communicated to the City and County Childcare Committees and the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations, all of which are funded by my Office. The scheme was subsequently discussed with them in depth at a special seminar held on 7 May 2009. I have also had a number of meetings with the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations since the announcement and have listened carefully to their views. Where possible, issues raised by the sector will be taken into account in the terms and conditions governing the scheme.

The scheme as announced already provides for a very flexible approach for childcare and playschool services, in terms of the ways in which they can provide the free pre-school year. They can opt to participate on the basis of a 50 week model or for a longer daily session over 38 weeks each year. There is also provision for a service which cannot operate for 5 days a week to operate for 4 days over 41 weeks. As a result, it is expected that existing service providers who wish to participate will be accommodated without difficulty. While the provision of a free pre-school year is fundamental to the scheme, it is open to services to charge for optional additional services which parents may wish to avail of.

The introduction of a free Pre-School Year in early childhood care and education has been called for by the sector for many years. The announcement of the scheme has been strongly welcomed by the City and County Childcare Committees and the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations as a major policy development which they had long called for. The pre-school provision will be founded on the principles of Siolta, the national framework for early learning, which was developed in close consultation with the sector. I am satisfied that the introduction of the free Pre-School Year is the first important step in the provision of quality early years care and education.