Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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246. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider a person (details supplied) eligible for the ECCE scheme starting September 2021 on the basis of isolated expressive speech delay and in the context that starting the ECCE, for which they are ineligible on the basis of five days in 2021, will help prevent long-term developmental issues. [43726/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal free two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range.

A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the September start date and a child cannot turn 5 years and 6 months of age during the course of the ECCE programme year. The child referred to by the Deputy will not have reached the required the required age of 2 years 8 months by 31 August 2021, so will not be eligible.

The parents of the child referred to by the Deputy will be able to avail of financial supports for early learning and care through the National Childcare Scheme , which provides universal and income related subsidies for families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years. Further details on the NCS are available on the NCS website or from the parent's local County Childcare Committee, details of which can be found on www.myccc.ie.