Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 May 2023
146. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will confirm the current number of early childhood education and care places currently available in Dublin Central; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26579/23]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a free universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. It provides children with their first formal experience of early learning prior to commencing primary school. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year and the programme year runs from September to June each year.
Based on data captured through the Early Years Sector Profile Survey 2021/22 (gathered in Spring 2022 with a response rate of 82.5%) – extrapolated to take account of all services delivering the ECCE programme – the number of ECCE places in Dublin Central was 1,988. Data collection for the Early Years Sector Profile 2022/23 is currently underway and will give an updated position for Dublin Central.
For the current programme year (September 2022 – June 2023), there are 108,482 enrolled on this programme nationally.
