Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme (ECCE)

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Barry Andrews TD talks about the new Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme (ECCE). The scheme provides universal free access to early childhood education.

More information:

Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme (ECCE)

This section contains the most up-to-date information in relation to payments under the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme (ECCE). You should check this section first if you have any queries, as it may help to clarify matters for you.

The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is currently preparing to issue the first payment in respect of the ECCE Scheme, and it is hoped that this will be done within the next few days. This will be an advance payment to cover the first six weeks of the pre-school term, based on the number of ECCE children as estimated by each service. The balancing payment, to cover the remainder of the term, will be made in February, after the returns supplied by services have been received and verified.

Some providers have not yet submitted their bank account details. Over the last few weeks, OMCYA staff have been contacting as many providers as possible by phone and by e-mail in order to ensure that these details are submitted. In the absence of these details, it will not be possible to issue the first payment. Therefore, if you have been contacted by OMCYA staff regarding these details, please return them immediately to:

Childcare Directorate
Contracts Section
Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
Hawkins House
Dublin 2

Alternatively, you can submit the details by e-mail to:

childcare_mail@health.irlgov.ie

using the text ‘Creche Details’ in the subject line.

You should note that transmission of these details by e-mail may not be secure and will be at your own risk.

The details required are as follows:

Your ECCE Reference Number
Name of Childcare Facility
Name and address of Bank
Bank Sort Code
Bank Account
Name on Account
A contact telephone number

Further information can be seen on the Department's website - www.omc.gov.ie.