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Early Childhood Care and Education

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2021

Wednesday, 3 February 2021

Ceisteanna (482)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Ceist:

482. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if children who qualified for ECCE and missed the opportunity to participate in preschool due to Covid-19 will be allowed to qualify for a second year of support. [5376/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year and runs from September to June each year, aligned with the primary school calendar.

A decision was taken by Government in January to delay the resumption of the ECCE programme until 5 March in order to reduce movement in the community.

Over the 4 January to 31 January, my Department continued to provide funding for the ECCE programme to services that remained open, or had been directed or approved to close. Providers were asked to engage, where possible, with children who normally take part in the ECCE programme. This included children not accessing services during this period.  

In order to continue to receive ECCE programme funding for the extended closure period (1 February to 5 March), it is a condition that services offering the ECCE Programme engage with ECCE children not attending their service. 

To assist providers engage with children remotely at this time, a preschool hub with free online resources has been made available on the First 5 website.

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