Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
1227. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to increase capitation for early childhood care and education, ECCE, children by up to €76. [42669/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is making significant investment to support parents with the costs of paying for early learning and childcare and to support providers with the costs of delivering early learning and childcare through increased investment in the NCS, ECCE and the new Core Funding Stream being introduced this month.
At a minimum, for every ECCE child €78.75 per week is now available (compared to €71.90 previously from ECCE standard capitation and PSP combined).
Because Core Funding is paid in respect of places rather than children, effectively this could mean a greater ‘per child’ marginal increase if the service has unfilled capacity. With average ECCE occupancy of 9 children per staff member, Core Funding is equivalent to weekly per child capitation of €80.92.
My Department will continue to focus on reducing the cost of early learning and childcare for parents through increased investment as part of Budget 2023 – specific measures to be taken will be decided as part of Budget 2023 and announced on Budget Day on September 27th.
I would also note that I recently announced the appointment of Stranmillis University College, Belfast to undertake an independent review of the ECCE programme. The review will assess whether the ECCE Programme is meeting its core objectives and will identify any changes or improvements that can be made to the Programme, based on international evidence and experience to date. As part of the ECCE Review, there will be a wide stakeholder engagement which will include parents and pre-school providers. The review is due to conclude in Q3 of 2023.
