Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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168. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the free preschool year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38937/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, which represents an annual investment of more than €170 million, is funded by my Department through capitation grants paid directly to participating pre-school providers. This capitation payment is for the provision of the ECCE Programme, including preparatory and supportive work such as engagement with parents.

The standard capitation fee paid to participating pre-school providers is €62.50 per week per eligible child. A higher capitation fee of €73 per week per eligible child is available to pre-school providers with more highly qualified staff. I announced in Budget 2016 my decision to restore the capitation payments to pre-2012 levels with effect from September 2016. This will bring the standard capitation fee to €64.50 per week for each eligible child and the higher capitation fee to €75 per week for each eligible child.

There are in the region of 4,300 pre-school providers participating in the ECCE programme with new services applying to enter the programme each year. The funding provided under the programme is a guaranteed source of income, paid in advance, and is an important support to the early years sector. I also announced in Budget 2016 an expanded provision under the ECCE programme, with effect from September 2016, which will allow children to access free pre-school provision from the time they are 3 years of age until they make the transition to primary school. When the expanded provision is fully implemented, the numbers of children availing of the programme each year will increase by almost 60,000 from current levels. This increased demand for pre-school places will assist many services throughout the country that are reporting high levels of vacancies to fill those places.

The new capitation rates will provide annual funding of €2,451 for each child enrolled in pre-school services that are in receipt of the standard capitation fee and €2,850 for those children in pre-school services in receipt of the higher capitation fee. There are no plans to further increase the capitation rates.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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169. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs for details of the consultation his Department had with the Health Service Executive in advance of extending the free preschool year for children; if his Department has taken into consideration, that in accordance with the HSE's regulations, children who are not toilet trained may not be accommodated in private preschool providers; if the HSE requested a review of the staffing levels allowed for in private preschools to take the different levels of needs for three to five year olds into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38938/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Pre-school services are governed by Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991 and by the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006.

The adult/child ratios recommended for childcare services providing full day care, part-time care and sessional care are set out in the Explanatory Guide to the 2006 Regulations. The ratios recommended for children availing of sessional pre-school services in the age category 2.5 years to 6 years is 1 adult to every 10 children. From September 2012, the recommended adult/child ratio for sessional services delivering the ECCE programme was increased to 1 adult to every 11 children, and this ratio, together with the ratios for the other types of pre-school services, will be set out in the revised Child Care Regulations which I hope to publish shortly. The responsibilities of a person carrying on a pre-school are set out the existing Regulations and include a requirement that the well-being of children is facilitated in the daily life of the service. There is no provision under the Pre-School Regulations for the non-enrolment of children in the circumstances outlined by the Deputy.

The age range for eligibility for the current ECCE programme is 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months at September in the relevant year. In the region of 67,000 have enrolled for the free pre-school provision each year since 2011 and many of these children at the date of enrolment would have been aged 3 years 2 months. The reduction of the lower age limit to 3 years, and the expanded age category for eligibility under the new measure being introduced, are not expected to present any significant difficulties to pre-school providers participating in the programme.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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170. To ask the Minister for Health the number of applications for preschool attendants in 2014, by county; the number of these that were made for children with physical disabilities; for children with severe and profound intellectual disabilities; the number allocated for each heading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38861/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. While certain flexibilities had been built in to the Programme to facilitate the inclusion of children with a disability the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futureschildren and young people's policy framework contained a commitment to develop a plan to facilitate the full participation of such children in the ECCE Programme. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has lead responsibility for the implementation of this commitment and has concluded an intensive process of deliberation and consultation on the matter in conjunction with my Department and the Department of Education and Skills and has brought forward a new model of supports to facilitate the full participation of children with a disability in the ECCE Programme.

As part of Budget 2016, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has announced the necessary funding to implement the new model of ECCE supports for children with a disability. The new model will provide supports including enhanced continuing professional development for early years practitioners; grants for equipment, appliances and minor alterations; and access to therapeutic intervention. Funding of €15m has been provided to phase these supports in during 2016. Full year costs for these supports are estimated to be €33m from 2017 onwards.

Just to add, in relation to the specific information sought by the Deputy that while the Health Service Executive has no statutory obligation to provide assistant supports for children with special needs wishing to avail of the ECCE scheme, it has worked at local level and in partnership with the relevant disability service providers to address individual needs as they arise. This has been done, for example, by funding special pre-schools that cater specifically for children with disabilities. In some limited cases at local level, disability services have also facilitated children with a disability to attend mainstream pre-schools by providing assistant supports where possible and where resources are available. The provision of such pre-school assistant supports should not be confused with Special Needs Assistants who are funded by the Department of Education and Skills to support children with special educational needs in primary and post-primary school settings.

Within this context, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the information that he has sought insofar as it is available. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.