Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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341. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is possible for the parents of a child (details supplied) to avail of one-and-a-half-years’ of free ECCE scheme entitlement for their child given that their child’s date of birth does not allow them to qualify for two full-years starting from September 2022; if there is leeway to allow for a year-and-a-half free of charge instead of two years given the fact that their child started ECCE in September 2022 and that their parents would be willing to pay for ECCE from September to December 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46603/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is 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.

The minimum eligibility age of 2 years and 8 months for the ECCE programme was chosen based on national and international best practice.

Children born between January and December 2020 are eligible to begin ECCE in September 2023 and avail of a second year in September 2024. There can be no discretion in this regard. In order to ensure objectivity and fairness, it is essential that clear rules exist for the scheme and that they are applied evenly.

My Department has commenced 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.