Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2016
650. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will examine the funding availability for a person (details supplied); if she will guarantee funding and a place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30546/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFrom September 2016 children are eligible to attend free pre-school from the age of 3 years until they start primary school (once the child is not older than 5 years and 6 months at the end of the pre-school year i.e. end June). The age range for eligibility for children enrolling for the programme in September 2016 is 1 January 2012 to the 31 August 2013. Children born between 1 September 2013 and 31 December are eligible to enrol in January 2017. Children born between 1 January 2014 and 31 March 2014 are eligible to enrol in April 2017.
As the child in question was born on 18 December 2013, they are eligible to enrol for the ECCE programme from January 2017. Eligibility to a programme does not guarantee a placement. It is the responsibility of the parent to source a suitable childcare place for their child. I would urge the child's parent to contact their local County Childcare Committee to assist them in finding a childcare place. It must be noted that each pre-school provider operates their own admission policies, and once these are within the terms of the ECCE Programme, the Department has no role in relation to the admission policies of individual services.
