Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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244. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the projected cost of the early childhood care and education programme in 2016; and in 2017, following the proposed changes to the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37128/15]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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245. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of increasing the number of weeks covered by the early childhood care and education programme from 38 weeks to 40 weeks; and to 42 weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37129/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme currently 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 participate.

This programme is 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 standard capitation fee is currently €62.50 per week per eligible child with a higher capitation fee of €73 per week for services with more highly qualified staff. The cost of increasing the number of weeks from 38 to 40 and 42 respectively (under the current programme and capitation rates) would be an additional €10 million and €20 million per annum approximately.

In Budget 2016, I announced an €85 million package of additional investment for childcare. This includes funding for:

- An extension to the ECCE programme so that children can enrol in the ECCE programme at age three and continue in the programme until they make the transition to primary school. This will reduce childcare costs by an additional €1,500 and will increase the current 38 weeks of free pre-school provision by an average of 23 weeks, and up to 61 weeks depending on the child's date of birth and the age at which they subsequently start primary school;

- A suite of supports to help children with a disability to participate fully in the ECCE programme. This delivers on my commitment to address these children’s particular needs in mainstream pre-school settings;

- 8,000 extra places in 2016 under the CCS programme to help low income and disadvantaged families access quality childcare. These 8,000 places are in addition to a further 5,000 CCS places I announced recently with savings achieved in 2015;

- A range of measures to improve the quality of early years and school-aged childcare, including an audit of quality; an extended Learner Fund to support professionalisation of the sector; and an enhanced inspection regime.

The extension to the ECCE programme will be introduced from September 2016 and will cost an additional €47 million in 2016. The full year additional costs of this extended provision, which is estimated to be €112 million, will not be realised in until 2017. The extension to the ECCE programme includes the cost of restoring capitation rates to providers to pre-2012 levels from September 2016 which were €64.50 per week per eligible child standard payment with a higher capitation fee of €75 per week for services with more highly qualified staff.