Government increases preschool funding by €2.5m

The Government has been forced to increase preschool funding by €2.5m over concerns that not enough money was made available to cater for the sheer number of families set to benefit from its new free pre-school year plans.

Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone confirmed the move yesterday after fears were raised by a number of childcare providers over the budget allocation provided to the popular initiative.

Under pre-election plans announced in last October’s budget and championed by former children’s minister James Reilly, the Fine Gael-led Government said it was ring-fencing resources to ensure families received a second free preschool year.

The decision led to €4m being allocated to the early childhood care and education scheme, which was to be spent on expanding premises and boosting staff numbers before the policy formally begins in September.

However, after it emerged more than 60,000 children are set to be eligible to receive the supports from this September, Ms Zappone yesterday confirmed she is adding an extra €2.5m to the policy’s budget.

Katherine Zappone

In a statement yesterday, the Dublin South West TD said grants of up to €10,000 will now be paid to more than 1,000 pre-school providers nationwide in order to allow them to introduce the called for service developments.

The grants being awarded are designed to cover the building, fitting out or refurbishment of an additional room in each creche facility, an extension, minor building alterations and the costs for additional play equipment, with Ms Zappone insisting they are needed immediately to ensure families’ needs are met. She said she was “delighted” so many high- quality applications had been received.

The programme for government includes increasing free access to preschool for all children aged between three and five-and-a-half years old.