Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2024
603. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Early Childhood Care and Education Programme-approved pre-school places in Cork city in 2020, and the current number. [36345/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPlease see below the number of children with an ECCE registration in Cork City for programme calls 2020/2021 and 2023/2024.
Please note there was a change of boundaries that resulted in 47 services with children registered for ECCE 2020/21 changing from Cork County to Cork City. For that reason, the numbers below are based on the boundaries at the time and the number based on the current boundaries.
ECCE Programme Call 2020/2021:
• Cork City original boundaries: 2,500 unique children
• Cork City current boundaries: 4,195 unique children
ECCE Programme Call 2023/2024:
• 4,201 unique children in Cork City
The above figures have all been collated by Pobal.
Cork City Childcare Committee has advised that the boundary change in 2022 did not impact ECCE places. The services did not reduce operational capacity due to the boundary change.
My Department funds a national network of City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs) who provide support and advice to parents and childcare providers on all issues for childcare funded programmes. Cork City Childcare Committee has provided support to parents to find ECCE places and parents that are having difficulty finding places can contact Cork City Childcare Committee on 021 4310500 or at info@corkcitychildcare.
