Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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130. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on an early years service withdrawing its part-time service with very little notice, despite being in receipt of ECCE funding; if his Department has any procedures in place to prevent providers in receipt of State funding from suddenly withdrawing services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10361/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Early learning and childcare (ELC) providers are private entities and set their own admissions policies which are agreed with or offered to a parent. An overwhelming majority of these providers are also in contract with my Department to deliver a range of programmes, including the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme.

The ECCE programme is a universal fully funded two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range and is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year. The programme year runs from September to June.

The ECCE programme, in addition to the National Childcare Scheme and Core Funding, is a key strand of the current funding model for the early learning and childcare – Together for Better, with a fourth strand of the funding model – Tackling Disadvantage – under development. Indeed, I have committed to putting this Programme on a statutory basis and have commissioned an independent review of the ECCE programme as a precursor to that.

While the ECCE programme contract allows part-time and full-time services to prioritise places for those who wish to avail of extra hours over those availing of the ECCE programme only, it is my expectation that part-time and full-time services in contract to deliver the ECCE programme do so through a combination of stand-alone, ECCE programme only provision and integrated provision for children requiring wrap around early learning and childcare, in addition to the ECCE programme.

Parents who have concerns on any aspect of the ECCE programme should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC). The contact details for CCCs can be found on myccc.ie.