Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 341: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will respond to correspondence from a person (details supplied) in County Cork regarding the free preschool year under the early child hood care and education scheme. [5175/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I have responsibility for the implementation of the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which commenced earlier this year. The Valuation Office, which comes under the remit of the Minister for Finance, is responsible for interpreting and implementing the Valuation Act 2001. In July 2009 the Valuation Office clarified that the ECCE scheme will result in certain services participating in the scheme being considered exempt from commercial rates.

Services covered by the exemption must be solely and exclusively used for the provision of educational services which are available to the general public and the expenses incurred in providing these services must be defrayed wholly or mainly by the State. To assist services to avail of this exemption, in September 2009, participating services were asked by their local City and County Childcare Committee to complete a declaration form confirming whether or not they considered that they would meet these criteria. A list of services which declared that they considered that they would meet these criteria was then forwarded to the Valuation Office. If the person referred to the by the Deputy has not returned a completed declaration form on this matter, I would advise that he contact his local Childcare Committee who will assist him to make this return.