Concern about viability of Government's free pre-school education plan

PRE-SCHOOL providers have raised concerns about the viability of the Government’s free pre-school education plan.

Next January a year of early education will be introduced for all children aged between three years three months and four years and six months. Pre-schools which are registered for the scheme will be paid a weekly capitation grant of €64.50 to cover 15 hours for each child.

However, pre-school providers are worried that the grant will not cover their costs, especially because parents will not be allowed to top up the grant

The Irish Preschool Play Association (IPPA) has contacted a huge number of its 2,500 members with concerns and has called them to a meeting later this week to discuss the issues.

“Many problems with the scheme have been identified by members, but the main one is that for some, the subsidised amount of €2,450 per annum just does not cover their existing costs and top up costs in respect of the specified hours are not permitted,” Irene Gunning, chief executive of the IPPA wrote in a letter to members last week.

However, the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs said parents will not be allowed to top up the cost of their free-pre school hours because “it is not intending to subsidise a two-tier pre-school system.”

“Allowing services to continue to charge fees and simply pocket the capitation would not benefit the parents or the children who attended such schools, and would make them inaccessible for many children whose families cannot afford pre-school fees,” a spokeswoman for the Minister’s office told The Irish Times.

Services will be allowed to charge for additional hours or for optional add ons like dance lessons. However, the Minister’s office stressed that such services must be optional and children who cannot afford these extras must still be eligible for the free 15 hours.

Peggy Walker director of information with the IPPA said that while the scheme was welcomed by the association, its members were concerned it would not cover costs and there was a lot of uncertainty around it.

Many members are not sure whether or not they should sign up to the scheme or not and will have to look at the various ages of the children they have enrolled for September to see if they can afford to take on the free places, she said.

The IPPA will hold consultation meetings with its members this week in advance of a seminar involving child care organisations and the office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, on Thursday.

The free pre-school year is expected to benefit 70,000 children annually at a cost of €170 million. These children will receive free pre-school provision of three hours per day, five days a week over a 38-week year.