Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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147. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his Department’s position on the fact that there is only one intake per year for the ECCE scheme some children can only avail of one year due to their birth date; his plans to return to two intakes per year to ensure a just system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5435/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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When first introduced, the ECCE Programme was delivered over 38 weeks in a given ECCE Programme Year and children were required to be between the ages of 3 years and 2 months and 4 years and 7 months in September in the year they enrolled.

The entry age has since been decreased on two occasions, the first in 2016, when it was reduced from 3 years and 2 months to 3 years of age and the number of hours a child could avail of was expanded. The second reduction was in 2018 whereby the number of points at which a child could become eligible for ECCE was reduced down to one (September) and the age of eligibility was further reduced.

A child must now have turned 2 years and 8 months on or before the 31st August of a given programme year in order to be eligible (and cannot turn 5 years and 6 months during the programme year). This has allowed children to avail of a full two years of ECCE. This change was based on national experience and a review of international practice. It also had regard to the regulatory environment for early years education and care in this country and issues such as child development readiness and adult-child ratios. This has now allowed children to avail of a full two years of ECCE.

There is no situation in which a child is only entitled to one year of ECCE and the current arrangements ensure that all children have the same entitlement, unlike the 3 entry point system. It should also be noted that whilst there is one point at which the child becomes eligible, they can enter ECCE at any time during the 2 year cycle.

I would note that my Department will commence a 12 month review of ECCE this year which will consider whether ECCE is meeting its objectives and subject to the findings consider whether any changes need to be made. As part of this review, there will be a wide stakeholder engagement.