Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 7 September 2026
2834. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality hew views on the common practice by childcare providers to require a non-refundable deposit from parents when putting their child’s name down, particularly in the context whereby parents are particularly desperate to secure a placement due to local childcare shortages and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59952/26]
View answer2849. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality hew views on the common practice by childcare providers to require a non-refundable deposit from parents when putting their child’s name down; if she is conscious of the financial impact that this may have on parents in the context of them not being able to take up the place and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59947/26]
View answer2850. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the common practice by childcare providers to require a non-refundable deposit from parents when putting their child’s name down; if this is permitted under the core funding scheme and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59943/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2834, 2849 and 2850 together.
Under Core Funding, in which over 93% of the sector participates, Partner Service 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, 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. Please note, as outlined in Rule 4.3.1. of the Agreement for the provision of Core Funding in Programme Year 5 (2026/2027), “All Clauses in the Fee Management section of this Funding Agreement have primacy over rules on fees in funding agreements and policy rules for the NCS, CCSP Saver Programme and ECCE, where requirements differ.”
The Department is committed to ongoing engagement on this matter and considered wider changes to Core Funding deposit rules for the Core Funding Programme Year 6 (2027/2028). These considerations included a review of the restrictions around deposits and as such, the addition of services not being allowed to charge fees for being placed on a waiting list was included.
Full details of Core Funding 2026/2027 are available on the Hive https://earlyyearshive.ncs.gov.ie/downloads/download-corefunding/[.]
An 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.
A Community Childcare Subvention Programme (CCSP) 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.
