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Early Childhood Care and Education

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 February 2022

Tuesday, 15 February 2022

Questions (523)

Neale Richmond

Question:

523. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a Montessori school (details supplied) will receive a funding model and contract for the upcoming year for its ECCE payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7884/22]

View answer

Written answers

The ECCE 2022/2023 programme funding agreement will be available to all early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) providers for signing, in early June 2022.

The new core funding stream announced as part of Budget 2022 will support ELC and SAC providers in meeting their operating costs, including costs related to improved quality measures, in return for a commitment that fees to parents will not increase from September 2021 levels and is contingent on an Employment Regulation Order being agreed by the Joint Labour Committee.

Initial information about the scheme was made available to ELC and SAC providers by my Department as part of the Budget 2022 ELC and SAC FAQ:

gov.ie/en/publication/b3e97-budget-2022-overview-and-faqs-for-early-learning-and-care-elc-and-school-age-childcare-sac-providers-and-parents/.

Further information was issued on 4 February. This reiterated that core funding will be allocated to services based on their capacity and the qualifications of those working in a service in line with three elements, with the majority of core funding (i.e. €172 million of the €207 million) distributed via the first of these elements:

1. Main Base Rate: Number of child places in an age group * Value based on ratio that applies to age group * Hours of operation per week * Weeks open per year,

2. Graduate Lead Educator Uplift: Applied at room level, scaling in line with hours per week and weeks per year group is operating (Maximum one Graduate Lead Educator uplift per ELC room)

3. Graduate Manager Uplift: Applied at service level, scaling in line with hours per week and weeks per year service is operating (Maximum one Graduate Manager uplift per service).

A Ready Reckoner to support services to determine the potential value of core funding will be available in early March along with further communications to the sector about the funding and contract.

In the interim period - in advance of core funding, significant additional investment is being made in the sector through the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), which will remain available to ELC and SAC services until April 2022, with a continued exemption from the turnover rule for employers in the sector.

Following the cessation of EWSS, a once-off transition fund will operate from May to August 2022, to support ELC and SAC providers in the period leading up to the new core funding stream, in return for a commitment not to increase fees from September 2021 levels. The sum paid to each service under the transition fund will depend on the service’s capacity and location, and will reflect opening hours.

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