Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 187: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of pre-school places she expects to provide by December 2009. [28030/09]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 283: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of places available for pre-school provision based on the number of play-schools which have to date opted to join the new State play-school free scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27846/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 283 together.

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 scheme will allow children to avail of a free playschool place in their pre-school year, which will be provided for three hours per day, five days per week for 38 weeks. It will also allow children in their pre-school year who are attending a full or part-time daycare service to avail of a free session of two hours and 15 minutes per day, five 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 and children availing of the scheme in January 2010 will have a reduced period of free pre-school provision.

The age at which children commence primary school varies depending on a number of factors and, for this reason, the scheme provides for a 15 month age range for eligibility. The number of children who avail of the scheme in January 2010 could, therefore, exceed the number of children who would be expected to commence primary school in September 2010. However, this is not expected to be the case and it is estimated that the maximum number of children who will avail of the scheme in January 2010 will be 65,000. This figure takes account of data sources including the live births register, the 2006 census of population and the number of enrolments in junior infant classes in recent years. For a number of reasons, in particular those outlined below, it is anticipated that the actual take-up of places under the scheme in January 2010, will not amount to the full cohort of 65,000 and will be closer to 60,000.

• Up to 3,000 children are expected to continue to avail of pre-school provision within full and part-time pre-school services supported under the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS). The CCSS provides significant support funding for disadvantaged parents using community childcare services.

• International experience suggests that, it can take some time to achieve a full participation rate when schemes of this type are introduced. Assuming a high participation rate of 95% in the first year, rather than a 100% participation rate, would further reduce the anticipated demand for places in January 2010 by some 3,000.

• As is the case with fee-paying primary schools a minority of parents may choose to send their children to pre-school services which opt to remain outside the ECCE scheme. Assuming the number of children attending such pre-schools will mirror the number at children entering private primary schools, the demand for places will be reduced by a further 1,000 places.

Given the rise in the birth rate between 2005 and 2008, the number of places required under the scheme is expected to increase in September 2010 and during 2011-2012.

Applications to the scheme are made, in the first instance, to the 33 City-County Childcare Committees (CCCs). Over the course of the last three weeks, the CCCs have provided weekly returns to my Office of the numbers of applications received. These show the following:

19 June 4,517 places

26 June 19,253 places

3 July 41,033 places

Past experience suggests that many applications are made in the week prior to the closing date for acceptance. While the closing date for applications is 10 July, late applications will be considered where good cause for the late application is demonstrated. However, as some counties already show a supply of places which exceeds the expected demand, in these counties late applications will be accepted on an exceptional basis only. Based on the rate of applications to date, I am confident that the total number of places available in pre-schools applying to enter the scheme will more than meet the number of places required.

From the time of the budget announcement, I have stated clearly that there may be a small number of areas where the demand for places will exceed the supply. My Office and the CCCs will continue to monitor the situation between now and September 2010 when the first full year of the scheme will take effect and I am confident that the scheme will encourage new pre-school services in areas where a need for additional places is demonstrated.