Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will address the concerns of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 whose child will not benefit from the new child care grant but who will commence school in September 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20938/09]

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 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 eligible children to avail of a free pre-school place in the year before the commence school. This will consist, generally, of 3 hours per day, 5 days per week over 38 weeks or 2 hours and 15 minutes per day, 5 days per week over 50 weeks. As the new scheme will be introduced from January next, the first full year will be from September 2010. Participating services will receive capitation of €64.50 per week where children attend for 38 weeks, and €48.50 per week where they attend for 50 weeks. Services will receive payments at the start of each term.

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. As the child in question will be aged 3 years and 6 months in January 2010, he will be eligible to participate in the free pre-school year prior to commencing primary school in September 2010.