Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 March 2010
68 Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of pre-school places funded by her Department in Dublin 9 and Dublin 11; the number of pre-school providers receiving funding in these areas; and the level of spare capacity among these providers as reported to him. [11003/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have responsibility for implementation of the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which was introduced in January of this year.
Pre-school services participating in the ECCE scheme were required to make a return to my Office by the end of January 2010, giving details of qualifying children attending. When processing of these returns is finalised, details of the number of pre-school services participating in the scheme and the number of children availing of the free Pre-School Year, will be available by reference to the areas covered by the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs). In the meantime, I am able to advise the Deputy that approximately 4,000 pre-school services across the country are participating in the scheme and that some 3,500 children are enrolled in the Dublin City area.
