Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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345. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of ECCE deposits and the mechanism of refunds. [30121/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Childcare services providing the ECCE programme may charge a refundable booking deposit to hold an ECCE place for a child. The maximum deposit a provider may charge is equivalent to four weeks’ ECCE payment, which amounts to €258. The deposit must be returned to the parent or guardian once the child is registered and approved on the ECCE programme. Childcare services may not charge a non-refundable deposit for ECCE.

In circumstances where a service is holding a legacy deposit for a child who has been attending the service prior to their commencement on the ECCE programme, and where the service has not charged a separate deposit for ECCE, the service must return an amount equivalent to the standard ECCE deposit to the parent or guardian once the child is registered and approved on the ECCE programme.

My Department funds a national network of County Childcare Committees (CCCs) who provide support and advice to parents and childcare providers. Any parents who have concerns regarding ECCE deposits should contact their local CCC. The contact details for the CCCs can be found on myccc.gov.ie.