Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 April 2026
2480. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the legal basis that would allow childcare facilities to charge parents a non-refundable deposit; if this is permitted, if there is an upper cap on the price that can be charged in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25145/26]
View answerPlease find the position regarding deposits for the following schemes as follows:
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)
An ECCE Approved Provider must give an accurate description and the total cost of any deposit requested on its Fee Table.
An ECCE Approved Provider may charge a refundable booking deposit to hold an ECCE place for a child. The maximum deposit a provider may charge is equivalent to 4 weeks ECCE payment. This must appear on the Fee Table.
The full ECCE deposit must be returned to the Parent/Guardian once the child’s registration is approved on the EY HIVE. If a service is holding a legacy deposit from when the child first started attending the service that exceeds 4 times the weekly ECCE capitation amount for a child that has been attending that service prior to their commencement on ECCE, and has not collected a separate ECCE deposit, the ECCE Approved Provider must return up to €276 of that deposit to the Parent/Guardian once the child’s ECCE registration has been approved on the EY HIVE. The deposit must be returned in full in one instalment, once the registration is approved.
The ECCE Approved Provider shall retain all financial records relating to deposits from Parents/Guardians and evidence of return.
Failure to comply with any of the ECCE Rules may result in the suspension of ECCE funding and/or DCDE funding or part thereof may be withdrawn and/or a termination of the ECCE Funding Agreement.
Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP)
An Approved Provider must give an accurate description and the total cost of any deposit requested on its Fee Table.
An Approved Provider may charge a refundable booking deposit to hold a CCSP Saver Programme place for a child. The maximum deposit a provider may charge is equivalent to 2 weeks’ CCSP Saver Programme payment. This must appear on the Fee Table.
The full CCSP subvention held on deposit must be returned to the Parent/Guardian once the child’s registration is approved on the EY HIVE.
The Approved Provider will retain all financial records relating to deposits from Parents/Guardians and evidence of return.
For example: Where an Approved Provider’s weekly fee is €200 and the subvention due is €145, the Approved Provider may charge a 2-week deposit of €400. Once the registration has been approved, the Approved Provider will refund the amount of €290 to the Parent/Guardian.
Failure to comply with any of the CCSP Saver Programme Rules may result in the suspension of CCSP Saver Programme funding and/or DCDE funding or part thereof may be withdrawn and/or a termination of the CCSP Saver Programme Funding Agreement.
Core Funding
Under Core Funding, in which over 93% of the sector participates, Partner Services sign a legally binding Funding Agreement, through which they agree that all deposits must be returned to the parent/ guardian once the child’s registration is approved on the Hive or within four weeks of the child taking up the place, whichever is sooner.
Additionally, providers must agree that they will not charge any non-refundable deposits (including administration/registration fees/waiting list fees, etc.) to parents/guardians in respect of their early learning and childcare service for which the deposit was paid.
In instances where a child does not take up a place for which a deposit was paid, there is no onus on a provider, under the Core Funding rules, to return the deposit to the parent/guardian.
The Department is committed to ongoing engagement on this matter and will consider wider changes to Core Funding deposit rules for the 2026/2027 programme year. These considerations will include a review of the restrictions around deposits.
Work on reviewing Core Funding policy for Year 5 is ongoing. Full details of Core Funding 2026/2027 will be made available to the sector in the coming months.
