Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
1412. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost to increase the standard and higher capitation rate for the ECCE scheme by increments of €3 up to €24 for the standard capitation rate. [38090/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department funds private early learning and care service providers to provide the ECCE programme at a standard rate of €69 per week per child attending the ECCE programme.
In calculating the costs of the requested increases to ECCE capitation, officials in my Department used the total budget allocation for the ECCE programme for 2023 (€264.6 million). The resulting estimates are given in the below table.
|
Standard capitation per child per week |
Cost of change |
|
|
Baseline |
€69 |
0 |
|
3 euro |
€72 |
€11.50m |
|
6 euro |
€75 |
€23.01m |
|
9 euro |
€78 |
€34.51m |
|
12 euro |
€81 |
€46.02m |
|
15 euro |
€84 |
€57.52m |
|
18 euro |
€87 |
€69.03m |
|
21 euro |
€90 |
€80.53m |
|
24 euro |
€93 |
€92.03m |
It is important to note that these estimates are based on a static system and do not account for any potential changes in behaviour that would result from these changes. It should also be noted that the above estimate is for increasing ECCE standard capitation only, ECCE higher capitation no longer exists and has been subsumed into Core Funding. As higher capitation no longer exists it cannot be costed.
