Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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115. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the significant difficulties being experienced with the early childhood care and education scheme, particularly in relation to the capitation level, which is not sufficient to cover the costs of delivering a high quality service for children; if he will conduct a study, in consultation with the providers, to determine the real costs of providing this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6238/15]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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116. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on additional capitation under the ECCE scheme to support children with additional needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6239/15]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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117. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his Department will increase the duration of the ECCE scheme contract to 48 weeks per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6240/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 115 to 117, inclusive, together.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children, in the age range 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months, before commencing primary school.

Many children with special needs avail of the free pre-school year in mainstream childcare services without any additional supports. I am aware that the Health Service Executive does, where possible, assist children with special needs who may require additional support to enable them to avail of pre-school services in mainstream settings.

To ensure that the ECCE programme is more accessible to children with special needs, a number of additional provisions have been added. These include an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification under the programme where a child is developmentally delayed and would benefit from starting primary school at a later age. In addition, children with special needs can apply to have the pre-school year split over two years on a pro-rata basis, for example availing of the programme for 2 days a week in the first year and for 3 days a week in the second year.

The free pre-school programme is designed to be delivered for three hours per day, five days per week, over 38 weeks (183 days per year), and capitation fees are paid to participating services on the basis of this provision. The provision is based on the primary school model, under which primary schools are required to open on 193 days per year (equivalent to 38.6 weeks). There are no plans to increase the current provision within the pre-school year or to extend the age range for eligibility.

A total of some €175 million is spent on the ECCE scheme annually in which some 67,000 children receive free pre-school care and education. The Government succeeded in maintaining the pre-school year on a universal and free basis despite the difficult budgetary situation that prevailed in recent years.While considerable progress has been made in correcting the overall budgetary situation, the funding available to my Department following the completion of budgetary process this year does not allow for an increase in the capitation paid to childcare providers. As the economy improves and the public finances recover, I would hope that the capitation rates for all childcare programmes could be improved.

To ensure that all the benefits of childcare investments are fully realised, future public investment in childcare must be evidence-based and strategically coordinated. I am establishing a cross-Departmental group to look at the provision right across the 0 to 6 age group as well as to consider the after-school needs of older school-going children. It is crucial that we develop a coherent whole-of-Government approach to investment in childcare services.This new group will include representatives of the Departments of Education and Skills, Social Protection, Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Public Expenditure and Reform, Finance and the Department of the Taoiseach and will be led and supported by my Department.