John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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409. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to review a situation (details supplied) regarding the early childhood care and education scheme where the higher capitation is only payable if all preschool assistants have a Level 5 relevant qualification. [5765/16]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The new Child Care Regulations, which are expected to be published shortly, will include a requirement that every person working directly with children in pre-school services must hold at least a major award in Early Childhood Care and Education at Level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework, or a qualification deemed to be equivalent. This requirement will come into effect on the date of commencement of the new Regulations for services registering with Tusla after that date, and on 31st December 2016 for all other services.

The new Regulations will provide an exemption from the minimum qualification requirement for those members of staff who intend to retire from the sector before September 2021 and who do not wish to engage in a course of study leading to the required qualification. Persons wishing to avail of the exemption are required to sign a declaration confirming their intention to so retire, and will receive a letter from the Minister confirming that the exemption has been granted. All such declarations must be signed before the date of commencement of the Regulations.

From the date of commencement of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, staff members who do not hold at least a Level 5 qualification have not been permitted to act as pre-school leaders, and have not been permitted to act as pre-school assistants in services receiving the higher rate of capitation. Pre-school leaders in existing services delivering the ECCE programme will be required to hold a Level 6 qualification by 31st of December 2016, whilst pre-school leaders in newly established services have been required to hold a Level 6 qualification since September 2015. It is not intended to review this criterion, and therefore persons who are granted an exemption from the qualification requirement will not be permitted to act as pre-school assistants in services which are in receipt of the higher capitation rate.