Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-North Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding a payment of child care supplement in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20759/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, my Office had responsibility for the Early Childcare Supplement (ECS) which was administered on its behalf by the then Department of Social and Family Affairs. The ECS was replaced from January of this year by the new free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which is also implemented by my Office. The ECCE scheme provides for free pre-school for children in the year before commencing primary school and children are eligible to participate in the scheme where they are aged more than 3 years and 2 months and less than 4 years and 7 months at 1 September of the relevant year.

The ECS was introduced in April 2006 as an additional payment to assist parents with the additional costs of caring for children in their pre-school years. In 2009, the ECS was paid, in arrears, on a monthly basis to parents of qualifying children. Payment of the ECS ceased from the end of 2009 and the final payments were made in December of that year. As continues to be the case for Child Benefit, entitlement to the ECS was deemed to arise in the month following the birth of the child. As the child in question was born in September 2009, the entitlement to the ECS arose in October 2009. As December 2009 was the final month in which the ECS was payable, a second ECS payment in respect of November 2009 was made. I understand that the child continues to be eligible for Child Benefit, the next payment of which is due to be made on 1 June 2010.