Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 October 2022
302. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department accepts that a 40-week preschool should be funded, wherever such provision is profitable, and that the Departmental policy extant could lead to the eradication of small, home from home services of which up to 1500 exist across the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49248/22]
View answerThrough the three early learning and childcare programmes ECCE, NCS and Core funding my Department aims to ensure stability and sustainability in the sector. I do not want any services to be faced with financial sustainability issues and am fully committed to working with any such service to support them in delivering early learning and childcare for the public good.
Core Funding is distributed in a fair, reasonable and transparent manner that is related to services’ costs of delivery. Consequently, services opening longer hours or offering more places will receive a higher value of Core Funding than other services. ECCE services remain a key component of the system, and in fact, the value of Core Funding offered is weighted in favour of sessional services for 2.5-6 year-olds. ECCE services receive proportionately more than other types of services relative to the staffing requirements of sessional pre-school provision. Through a combination of Core Funding and ECCE capitation, sessional services can now avail of weekly funding of at least €78.75 per child in ECCE (€69 ECCE capitation plus €9.75 per week in Core Funding base rate). Where a service has less than full occupancy, the funding on a per child basis is even higher. A service that has space for 11 children but has an average occupancy of 9 will receive an equivalent of €80.92 per child.
We are not seeing any evidence of a significant lack of sustainability for ECCE-only services or to suggest that services will face closure as a result of Core Funding. Services that are experiencing difficulty and who would like support are encouraged to contact their City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) to access case management supports. Services can be assisted on an individual basis through this route and it also allows for trends and themes across the country to be identified that can inform a more systematic response if necessary. We are not receiving any indications from CCCs that there have been providers reporting financial difficulties and in need of support. This case management process through the CCCs is the route to access additional sustainability funding if required.
Regarding the suggestion of a 40 week preschool term, any significant change to the ECCE programme rules such as providing ECCE funding for more than 38 weeks funding needs to be considered carefully and comprehensively in consultation with stakeholders. I would note that my Department has commenced a review of ECCE which is expected to be completed by Q3 2023. The review will assess whether the ECCE Programme is meeting its core objectives and will identify any changes or improvements that can be made to the Programme, based on international evidence, experience to date as well as consultation from a wide number of stakeholders.
