Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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644. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the substantial changes to the ECCE payment structure to child care facilities operating the ECCE scheme, changes that are causing great financial strain to ECCE providers; if she will have the payment structure reverted to the previous arrangement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29668/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Payment Calendar for the ECCE scheme was published on August 31st, and has not changed since that time. The calendar is equivalent to the 2015-16 year, with the exception that the advance payment made to services was reduced from eight weeks, to six, with the second payment coming two weeks earlier than previously.

Advance payments are made to services to account for the delay in accurately registering children attending the ECCE programme. As they are based on the previous year's numbers, they are not an accurate reflection of funding due to services and should be minimised.

Payments have been made in respect of over 80,000 registered children last week and this week - a higher number than at any time up to now.