Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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1120. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the penalties applied to child care providers found to be in breach of ECCE programme rules, in particular those relating to the return of ECCE deposits in view of the case of persons (details supplied) [46560/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The rules of the ECCE programme clearly state that a service may request a deposit from parents to secure a place but that this deposit must be returned to the parents once the registration is approved on the online registration system.

In relation to the specific case referred to by the Deputy, I can confirm that officials from my Department have been in touch with the service in question, by letter, phone and email, requesting that they return the deposit to the children's parents.

Given that it appears the provider in question has still not returned the fee, my officials are considering appropriate next steps.