Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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500. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in the context of budget 2016, his plans to commit to a prevention and early intervention strategy for early childhood development given that this plan is very cost-effective in the long-term and is recommended by the Hands up for Children campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29136/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The development of Ireland’s first Early Years Strategy is being progressed in my Department. The objective of this Strategy is to create an innovative and dynamic blueprint for the future development of Ireland’s early years sector and a coherent approach to seeking to improve the lives of children from birth to 6 years. The Early Years Strategy will address a range of issues affecting children in their first years of life such as child health and well-being, parenting and family support, learning and development and play.

This Strategy is one of three constituent strategies to emerge from Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020.The Strategy will be underpinned by the Policy Framework's five national outcomes for children (i.e. active and healthy, achieving in all areas of learning and development, safe and protected from harm, economic security and opportunity and connected, respected and contributing) and by the six transformation goals it identifies to ensure the realisation of these outcomes for children - one of these goals is early intervention and prevention.

Considerable work has been done on the development of the Early Years Strategy. The work of the Expert Advisory Group, Right from the Start, has greatly informed the work to date. I have signalled my intention to conduct focused consultations with relevant parties across the early childhood care and education sector before concluding my own deliberations on the Strategy. I am also mindful of the importance of other work which is being undertaken in parallel in respect of the future investment priorities in respect of childcare. Taking account of these developments, I expect to be in a position to bring the Strategy forward for consideration by Government later this year.

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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501. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of providing one extra hour per day per child under the current early childhood care and education scheme over a 38-week period, raising the length of time from three hours per day to four hours per day, five days a week for 38 weeks. [29139/15]

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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502. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of extending the 38 week free preschool year to 52 weeks per child, at the current rate per hour, for three hours per day. [29140/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 501 and 502 together.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children before commencing primary school. Funding of over €170 million is provided for the ECCE programme annually in which some 67,000 children receive free pre-school care and education.

The 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 programme 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).

The approximate additional extra cost of extending the ECCE programme, based on the current capitation rates and for the current cohort of eligible children, is:

- 4 hours per day, five days per week, for 38 weeks = in the region of €55m

- 3 hours per day, five days per week, for 52 weeks = in the region of €60m

While there are presently no plans to increase the current provision within the pre-school year, all options for future investment in childcare are currently being considered by the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education, which I established in February this year. This Inter-Departmental Group, which is tasked with setting out a range of options for current and future investment, is considering options to enhance affordability, options to increase the accessibility of provision and options to build the quality of provision and support the sustainability of the early years sector. It will submit a series of recommendations to Government shortly.