Willie O'Dea
Ceist:197. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the full year cost of increasing the ECCE capitation grant by 10%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21632/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 16 May 2018
Ceisteanna (197)
Freagraí scríofa
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme operates over a 38 week programme year from the beginning of September to the end of June. Currently, to deliver this programme, pre-school providers receive a standard capitation of €64.50 per child per week. If a provider has been approved for higher capitation the weekly capitation payment increases to €75 per child. Higher Capitation is paid for individual ECCE sessions where the ECCE Room leader holds the appropriate qualification.
The ECCE capitation paid to pre-school providers will increase by 7% in September 2018. This increase will result in the following:
- Standard capitation rate increasing from €64.50 to €69
- Higher capitation rate increasing from €75 to €80.25
It is estimated that approximately 114,000 children will be registered for the 2018/19 programme year.
If the ECCE capitation rates were increased by a further 10%, the standard rate would increase to €75.90 and the higher rate would increase to €88.28.
Assuming 114,000 registrations (with all children taking their full time entitlement) and no change to the current breakdown between standard and higher rate capitation rates , the full cost of the ECCE Programme, with a 10% increase in capitation, would be an additional €32m - bringing the full year cost to €355.5m in 2018/19.