Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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271. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to push the introduction of the budgeted increase in the ECC hours to €2.14 per hour to January 2024, and not September 2024 as budgeted for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51640/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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In arriving at the introductory date of the increase in the minimum subsidy, I had to balance a number of policy priorities with the available budgetary envelope. In order to deliver on the existing schemes as well as the make a number of enhancements of other early years schemes within the budgetary envelope a September start date was necessary.

These policy commitments include:

• The continuation of the ECCE programme that will benefit more than 103,000 children in 2024
• An expansion of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) to allow children with a disability to avail of AIM supports outside of ECCE hours, in term and out of term.
• The continuation of Core Funding, with enhancements to the Scheme in year 3.
• The introduction of the Equal Participation Model (EPM), whereby services will be provided with a proportionate mix of universal and targeted supports to support children and families accessing their services who are experiencing disadvantage.
• The delivery of a range of regulatory and quality supports for the implementation of the National Action Plan for Childminding; Nurturing Skills, the Workforce Plan, and the ongoing development of the registration and inspection system as well as policy development commitments set out in First 5 and the Programme for Government.