Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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821. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the securities in place to encourage early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme providers to take up the scheme with regard to the duplication of services in one area; the frequency with which needs assessments are carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20749/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The objective of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme is to make early learning in a formal setting available to eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. Approximately 96% of pre-school children have accessed the (ECCE) scheme over the last number of years, demonstrating both good supply and good take-up across the country. In Budget 2016, my Department announced a significant expansion to pre-school provision under the ECCE programme. This expansion will see the number of children benefitting from the Programme rise from around 67,000 to around 127,000 in a given programme year. Children’s entitlement to ECCE will increase from 38 weeks currently for all children, to an average of 61 weeks (ranging from 51 to 88 weeks depending on date of birth and age starting school).

The measure is being introduced from September 2016 in order to provide the early years sector with the time to build capacity to meet the increased demand. As the increased demand for the Programme is not expected to peak until April 2017, this timeframe should allow pre-school providers to make any necessary infrastructural or service changes and to put in place extra staff resources to accommodate the additional demand. In response to the expansion of ECCE announced in Budget 2016, my Department has initiated a number of actions to support the development of capacity in the sector.

1. The City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs) carried out an analysis of capacity within the Early Years sector to inform whether there was a need to develop additional capacity within the sector. I am reasonably satisfied that there will be sufficient capacity in the system to meet the September intake. My Department will continue to work intensively and proactively with any CCCs who identify a concern re supply for the remainder of 2016 and into early 2017.

2. A higher level of capitation (HC) is paid to ECCE services which are led by staff with degrees (minimum Level 7) and three years’ experience in the sector. This higher level of capitation was introduced based on international evidence that the most effective way of improving quality of services was through a more qualified workforce. My Department has altered ECCE’s rules to allow for higher capitation to be payable to services on a room by room basis. This would allow services with two rooms, but only one graduate, to still receive higher capitation for one of the rooms. This assists services in expanding capacity and incrementally increasing the number of graduates in their employment.

3. My Department has worked closely with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to consider planning issues for services wishing to expand their service. Earlier this year the DOECLG issued a circular to all Local Authorities asking them to assist early years providers with the their planning queries and the pre-planning consultation phase in so far as possible.

4. As part of Budget 2016, my Department announced the introduction of an Early Years Capital Programme with total funding of €4 million available. This funding was targeted at early years pre-school providers that are making alterations to their services to accommodate increased numbers of children. To ensure the maximum number of grant approved providers can avail of funding, my Department has sought and received sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure to increase the funding available by €2.5m, representing an increase of 60%, to €6.5m. Successful applicants were notified of their grant allocation last week.

I am satisfied that there is already additional capacity in the early years sector to cope with some of the increased demand. I am aware that every year a significant number of new pre-school providers apply to participate in this Programme. This increased demand for, and additional investment in, free pre-school provision should encourage a greater numbers of applicants. It is clear that more capacity will be required. Officials in my Department continue to work closely with the City and County Childcare Committees and the Voluntary Childcare Organisations in relation to provision of services under this, and other, Childcare Programmes.