Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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1146. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will consider, further to correspondence, amending the early childhood care and education scheme and removing a restriction (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35900/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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From September 2018, all children meeting the minimum age requirement of 2 years and 8 months will be eligible for a full two programme years on the Early Childhood Care and Education programme (ECCE). This measure adds to previous enhancement of the programme and increases the duration of each registered child on ECCE from the original 38 weeks to a potential duration of 76 weeks (two programme years). This delivers on a commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government that is good for children and families.

It must be noted that age limits have been used to determine eligibility since the inception of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme in 2010. These rules are a necessary component of any Government scheme and ensure that Exchequer funding is used for its intended purpose.

The upper age limit for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was set in consultation with the Department of Education and Skills. It ensures that children transition into primary school with their peers and limits the age range of children beginning primary school. Limiting the diversity in age ranges in children beginning primary school education is considered generally to be in the best interest of children, in relation to peer interaction in junior infants, as well as other educational considerations.

My Department does its best to ensure, in so far as possible, the equitable treatment of all children and families who apply for childcare funding under the ECCE Programme.  In order to ensure objectivity and fairness, it is essential that clear rules exist for the scheme and that they are applied evenly. An essential component of the ECCE programme rules is an eligibility start date to ensure that the programme can be administered and budgeted for in an appropriate manner. As stated above, the Department of Education and Skills informed the policy which these rules support.