Irish Childcare Schemes
ECCE Scheme Ireland
Complete Guide 2026
Everything childcare providers need to know about the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) free preschool programme.
What is ECCE?
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme provides free preschool education for children in Ireland. It is funded by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE) and administered by Pobal, allowing eligible children to attend a participating childcare service for free during the programme year.
The scheme is designed to support children's development and school readiness in the years before they start primary school. It's available to all children meeting the age criteria, regardless of family income.
ECCE Eligibility Requirements
Age Requirements
Minimum Age
Child must have turned 2 years and 8 months on or before 31 August of the programme year — a fixed national date that applies to every service
Maximum Age
Child must not be older than 5 years and 6 months at the end of the programme year. Exemptions to the upper age limit are decided by the DCDE and need a letter from a medical specialist or therapist
Programme Year Dates
The ECCE year runs from late August to the beginning of July. Providers must deliver a minimum of 38 weeks (182 days) within it
Note: Most children qualify for two years of ECCE. The DCDE Rules for the ECCE Programme publish an eligibility table by month of birth each year — check that, or your local City/County Childcare Committee, for a specific date of birth.
ECCE Hours and Sessions
15
Hours per Week
Free preschool education hours provided
38
Weeks per Year
Minimum weeks a provider must be open
182
Days per Year
The official ECCE day count behind the 38 weeks
How Sessions Must Be Delivered
The delivery pattern is set by the programme rules: an approved provider delivers ECCE as 3 hours per day, 5 days per week, for the capitation received. A child's hours cannot be reduced without the full agreement of their parents or guardians — and children whose parents decline every optional extra must still receive the full ECCE session.
There is one narrow exception, and it is closed to new entrants: a small number of services already permitted to run 41 weeks may deliver 3.5 hours per day over 4 days. No other service can take up the 41-week option, and a service that gives it up cannot return to it.
Children can attend beyond their ECCE session as normal paid childcare, and those extra hours may be subsidised under the NCS. Where a child takes additional part-time or full-time childcare, the provider must reduce the parent's fee by at least the statutory minimum for the programme year.
What Parents Can and Cannot Be Charged
Parents cannot be charged for the ECCE hours themselves. A provider may take a refundable booking deposit to hold an ECCE place — capped at 4 weeks' ECCE payment, listed on the Fee Table, and refunded in full once the child's registration is approved on the Hive. Optional extras come from a closed list published by the DCDE — nothing outside it is permitted:
- Food (children must also have the option of bringing their own snack or lunch)
- Interactive play and exploration classes or events delivered by outside providers
- Nappies or pull-ups, where applicable
- Baking, where it is a regular part of the programme
- 30 additional minutes per day — sessional services only, where no part-time or full-time childcare is offered
- One paid preschool trip (entry fees and cost of transport)
Each extra must be individually optional and individually priced — you cannot bundle them into one line on the Fee Table, and you cannot make paying for them a condition of admission. Charging for things a preschool would normally provide, such as arts and craft materials, is not permitted.
Where an optional extra runs during an ECCE session, children not taking part must still get a full content-based session, and ratios must be maintained for both groups. Families must be allowed to withdraw from an optional extra, on no more than 4 weeks’ notice.
Provider Obligations
Registration Requirements
- Registered with Tusla (Early Years Inspectorate)
- ECCE Funding Agreement with the DCDE, activated on the Early Years Hive
- All staff working with children at NFQ Level 5 minimum, and a Lead Educator at NFQ Level 6 in every ECCE room/session for the whole session
Ongoing Compliance
- Accurate attendance records maintained
- Claims submitted via Early Years Hive
- Compliance file kept on-site — Pobal visits are unannounced
How CrecheHQ Takes the Admin Out of ECCE
CrecheHQ works out each child's eligibility from their date of birth, keeps the attendance records your Hive registrations are checked against, and applies ECCE correctly on every family invoice — so registering on the Hive becomes a quick copy-across, not a calculation.
Automatic Eligibility
Calculates ECCE eligibility based on date of birth and programme year dates
Attendance Tracking
Records attendance in compliance with Pobal requirements
Invoice Integration
Automatically applies ECCE hours when generating family invoices
Compliance Dashboard
Monitor attendance thresholds and spot issues before they become problems
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the ECCE scheme in Ireland
What age can a child start ECCE in Ireland?
A child must have turned 2 years and 8 months on or before 31 August of the programme year, and must not be older than 5 years and 6 months at the end of that programme year. The cut-off is the fixed national date of 31 August, which applies regardless of when an individual service reopens.
How many hours of free preschool does ECCE provide?
ECCE provides 15 hours per week of free preschool education. Approved providers are required to deliver it as 3 hours per day, 5 days per week, over a minimum of 38 weeks (182 days) per programme year. Choosing longer sessions across fewer days is not permitted — the only exception is a small group of legacy 41-week services, which may run 3.5 hours over 4 days and which no new service can join.
When does the ECCE programme year start and end?
The ECCE programme year runs from late August to the beginning of July. Within it, an approved provider must be open for a minimum of 38 weeks (182 days), with a required minimum number of weeks in each of the three terms. Your own service calendar is set by you and published on the Early Years Hive.
Can a child do two years of ECCE?
Yes, most children are eligible for two full years of ECCE, depending on their date of birth. A child can participate from age 2 years 8 months until they reach 5 years 6 months or start primary school.
How do childcare providers claim ECCE funding?
Providers register eligible children on the Early Years Hive, the portal operated by Pobal as scheme administrator, and capitation follows those registrations. Registrations must reflect a child’s actual attendance — overclaims can be recouped, and four consecutive weeks of non-attendance without approved special circumstances means the child must be entered as a leaver. CrecheHQ supports this by tracking eligibility from date of birth and keeping the real-time attendance records those registrations have to be justified against.
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