Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 677: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the early childhood care and education scheme is available to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 18; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20404/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. About 66,000 children, that is approximately 95% of children in the year before school, are availing of the free pre-school provision at this time.

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 at 1 September in the relevant year. Children born between 2 February 2008 and 30 June 2009 will qualify for the free pre-school year in September 2012 and children born between 2 February 2009 and 30 June 2010 will qualify for the programme in September 2013. There are no exceptions for children who are below the qualifying age.

The child referred to by the Deputy was born outside the age range for eligibility for the programme in the school year commencing in September 2012 but will be eligible for the programme in the school year commencing in September 2013.

The objective of the ECCE programme is to make early learning in a formal setting available to eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. To achieve this, services participating in the pre-school year are expected to provide age-appropriate activities and programmes to children within a particular age cohort. For this reason, it is appropriate to set minimum and maximum limits to the age range within which children will qualify.

My Department also implements the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme which provides funding to community childcare services to enable them to charge reduced childcare rates to low income and disadvantaged families. Parents who consider that they qualify for support under this programme should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee to establish exactly what participating community facilities are available in their area. Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Childcare Committee may be contacted by telephone at 01 2368030 or by e-mail at info@dlrchildcare.ie.