John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the financial supports in place to meet the child care costs of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; if this person could be supported by the child care employment training support scheme. [36905/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I have responsibility for implementing a number of early years programmes including the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) schemes, both of which came into effect in September of this year.

The CCS scheme, which replaces a previous support scheme implemented by my Office, provides funding to community childcare services to enable them to charge reduced childcare fees to disadvantaged and low income families. Some 950 services throughout the State are participating in the scheme. In the case in question, as a social welfare recipient he would qualify under the scheme for a weekly fee reduction for each child of €100 for a full-time childcare place, €50 for a part-time childcare place and €33 for a sessional (not more than 3 hours 30 minutes) childcare place. Information regarding childcare services which are participating in the CCS scheme, is available from local City and County Childcare Committees.

The CETS scheme is being implemented by my Office, on behalf of FÁS and the Vocational Educational Committees (VECs) under the Department of Education and Science and replaces the previous childcare support schemes implemented by FÁS and the Vocational Educational Committees (VECs). Under the FÁS and VEC schemes, qualifying students and trainees attending certain FÁS and VEC courses could apply for a childcare support payment of up to €63.50 per week towards their childcare costs. Under the new CETS scheme, participating services are paid a weekly capitation fee of €170 for each full-time childcare place contracted with their service, with lesser amounts obtaining for half day and afterschool places. In return, the service is required to provide a childcare place free of charge to the qualifying student or trainee.

I also have responsibility for implementing the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, which provides for a free pre-school year to eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. Children qualify for the free pre-school year where they are aged more than 3 years 2 months and less than 4 years 7 months in September of the relevant year. This means that children born between 2 February 2006 and 30 June 2007 are eligible for the free pre-school year which commenced in September 2010. There is no provision under the scheme to enrol children that are below the qualifying age.