Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2023
641. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the total costs of ECCE/ AIM pay (combined) for 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular. form. [54454/23]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme is a universal free two-year preschool programme available to all children within the eligible age range. ECCE 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.
The ECCE programme is provided by private providers who enter into contracts with my Department to provide the ECCE programme to eligible children.
The key objective of AIM is to support early learning and care providers to deliver an inclusive preschool experience, ensuring that children with a disability can fully participate in the ECCE Programme, thereby reaping the benefits of quality preschool provision.
Payment of ECCE is on a per-capita basis and the capitation rate is €69 per child per week. Wages are a matter between employer and employee. The figures below, which have been provided by Pobal, the administrators of both ECCE and AIM, is the funding paid by my Department in the programme years 2020-21 up 2022-23.
|
Programme Call |
ECCE Registrations |
ECCE Higher Capitation |
AIM Level 1 |
AIM Level 5 |
AIM Level 7 |
Total |
|
ECCE 2020/2021 |
€ 256,500,234 |
€ 26,780,420 |
€ 5,064,486 |
€ 467,899 |
€ 19,340,347 |
€ 308,153,386 |
|
ECCE 2021/2022 |
€ 269,827,340 |
€ 28,781,059 |
€ 4,944,233 |
€ 662,183 |
€ 37,001,314 |
€ 341,216,129 |
|
ECCE 2022/2023 |
€ 273,800,040 |
€ 0.00 |
€ 5,418,799 |
€ 635,406 |
€ 41,803,660 |
€ 321,657,905 |
