Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 23: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the supports or grants that are available from her Department to a person setting up a new business providing Montessori school service in the Cork area; the grants and services that may be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4221/11]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Pre-school services can apply to participate in the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, which was introduced by my Office in January 2010. Under the scheme, in return for providing the free Pre-School Year to eligible children, a pre-school service will be paid an annual capitation for each eligible child enrolled. The standard capitation rate is €2,450 per annum and a higher capitation rate of €2,850 per annum is payable to services with more highly qualified staff.

Children are eligible to participate in the scheme when they are aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months in September of the relevant year. At September 2010, some 4,300 pre-school services, or 95% of all such services, are participating in the scheme. 63,000 children, or 94% of all eligible children are availing of the free Pre-School Year. The ECCE scheme cost approximately €154 million in 2010 and is expected to cost €166 million in 2011. Applications for new services to enter the scheme from September 2011 will be available shortly from the local City or County Childcare Committee.

My Office also has responsibility for the implementation of the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) which includes a capital grant programme to develop childcare facilities. However, as this programme closed to new capital grant applicants in 2009, I regret to advise the Deputy that capital expenditure in 2010 and 2011 is confined to existing capital grant commitments.