Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 7 September 2018
1160. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the cases of persons (details supplied) will be reviewed; the reason both children are not entitled to two free preschool years; if changes are proposed to legislation to deal with these cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36171/18]
View answerFrom September 2018, all children meeting the minimum age requirement of 2 years and 8 months will be eligible for a full two programme years on the Early Childhood Care and Education programme (ECCE). This measure refines the development introduced last year and increases the duration of each registered child on ECCE from an average of 61 weeks, to a duration of 76 weeks or two complete programme years. This delivers fully on a commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government that is good for children, families and Early Years providers.
This minimum age was chosen based on national experience and a review of international practice. It also had regard to the regulatory environment for early years care and education in this country and issues such as child development readiness and adult-child ratios. The upper age limit for the ECCE programme will remain the same (i.e. a child is not eligible if they will be 5 years and 6 months before the end of the programme year).
In order for a child to be eligible to be enrolled for the ECCE 2018/2019 childcare programme to begin on 1st September 2018, they must have been born between 1st January 2014 and 31st December 2015, i.e. they must have reached 2 years and 8 months on or before 31 August 2018.
In the examples cited by the Deputy, these children born in January and March 2016 will not be able to commence their ECCE in September 2018 as they will not have reached the minimum age of 2 years and 8 months on or before 31st August 2018. However, they will be able to commence ECCE in September 2019, and if they decide to do so continue for a further year from September 2020, commencing school in September 2021 thus availing of the full 2 years.
Some families of children born around this time of the year may prefer for their children to start school at 4 rather than 5. These families may therefore opt for one year of ECCE only. This decision is entirely at the discretion of the parent(s) or guardian but it is important to reiterate that two full years of ECCE provision is available to all children.
In such circumstances, it should be noted that the new universal subsidy of up to €1,040 per year, is available to parents of children in registered childcare until the child is eligible for ECCE. Please see affordablechildcare.ie for more information.
