The ECCE scheme 2026/27, explained for parents

The Early Childhood Care and Education programme (ECCE) gives children two years of free preschool before they start primary school. It is funded by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and offered by creches, playschools, naíonraí and Montessori schools across the country (Citizens Information).

ECCE 2026/27 at a glance

• Free hours: 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 38 weeks. That is 15 free hours a week.
• Dates: the 2026/27 programme runs for 182 days, from 24 August 2026 to 2 July 2027.
• Who: children born between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2023.
• Deposits: refundable only, and no more than €276 (4 weeks of ECCE payments).

Source: the Department’s 2026/2027 ECCE letter to parents.

Is my child eligible?

For 2026/27, a child must have turned 2 years and 8 months on or before 31 August 2026, and must not be older than 5 years and 6 months on or before 2 July 2027 (ECCE Programme Rules 2026/27). There are no exemptions to the lower age limit. A child with special educational needs may get an exemption from the upper age limit; the ECCE rules explain how to ask for one (Citizens Information).

In practice, it goes by year of birth:

From Table 1 of the ECCE Programme Rules 2026/27.

What is free, and what you might pay for

The 15 ECCE hours a week are free; the Department pays the preschool for them. A service may not charge you a fee for ECCE itself, including non-refundable or “optional extra” deposits (DCDE letter to parents). What can cost money:

• Extra hours. If your child stays longer than the 3 ECCE hours a day, you pay for the extra time.
• Optional extras such as food or activities. They must be genuinely optional. If you say no, the preschool must give your child other activities while the extras happen. You can’t be charged extra for things a preschool normally provides, such as arts and crafts materials, and you can cancel an extra you agreed to before. Places can’t be prioritised for families who pay for extras (Citizens Information).
• A booking deposit to hold a place. It can be no more than 4 weeks of ECCE payments (€276 in 2026/27), it must be shown on the service’s fee table, and it must be refunded in full once your child’s ECCE registration is approved.

Agreeing to extra hours or any optional charge is never a condition of getting or keeping an ECCE place (DCDE letter to parents).

A small number of sessional services can’t open 5 days a week. With the Department’s permission, they provide 3 hours 30 minutes a day over 4 days instead.

ECCE is usually run as a sessional service, which has its own staffing ratio. Our guide to creche ratios in Ireland explains the adult-to-child rules for ECCE rooms and full-day rooms.

ECCE and the NCS together

If your child is in a creche for a full day, ECCE covers 3 of those hours and the National Childcare Scheme can help with the rest. NCS hours are not reduced because of ECCE hours (Citizens Information), and the NCS can be used for breakfast club, after-school care or weeks outside the preschool term (ncs.gov.ie).

The State’s fee caps show what this can mean. At a Core Funding service charging the maximum €280 a week for a full-day place in 2026/27, gov.ie says the parent of a child getting both ECCE and the universal NCS subsidy pays at most €119.20 a week (gov.ie). Our NCS guide explains the subsidy rates and how to apply.

Budget 2027: what changes from September 2027

Budget 2027 was announced on 6 October 2026. From September 2027, the universal NCS subsidy for children up to senior infants rises from €2.14 to €2.50 an hour, and the maximum weekly fee at Core Funding services falls (for example from €280 to €250 for a 40–50 hour place). If your child also uses the NCS for hours outside ECCE, these changes can lower your bill. See our costs guide for the full table.

The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), which supports children with disabilities in ECCE, will also be extended to children under three from September 2027 (gov.ie).

How to get an ECCE place

1. Choose a participating preschool. Your local City or County Childcare Committee has a list, and the NCS website lists contracted providers with their fees.
2. Apply to the preschool directly. You’ll need your child’s birth certificate or passport and PPS number.
3. Fill in the pre-registration form the service gives you. It asks for your written consent before your child’s details are recorded.

A child can’t be in ECCE and the Early Start programme at the same time. If you want to move your child to another preschool during the year, you must give the current one 4 weeks’ written notice (Citizens Information).

Attendance

A child may lose their ECCE place if they are absent for 4 weeks in a row. In some situations a place can be held longer: up to 12 weeks if the child, a sibling or a parent has a prolonged illness, and up to 6 weeks after a bereavement in the immediate family. Tell the preschool if you know your child will be away.

Support for children with additional needs

The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) helps children with disabilities take part in ECCE. It is based on the child’s needs and does not require a diagnosis. Levels 1 to 3 are universal supports, such as training for preschool staff. Levels 4 to 7 are targeted supports, from expert advice to specialised equipment, therapy input and extra help in the room, which you and the preschool apply for together through Pobal (Citizens Information).

Questions to ask a preschool

• Can I see your fee table, including the deposit and what is refunded?
• Which days and times are the ECCE hours, and what is your calendar for the year?
• What do extra hours and any optional extras cost, and how do I opt out?
• Can I see your latest Tusla inspection report? (Our Tusla report guide shows where to find it.)

Browse Montessori schools and preschools in Dublin by area.

Questions parents ask

When can my child start ECCE?

For 2026/27, children born between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2023 are eligible. In general a child must be 2 years and 8 months on or before 31 August of the programme year, and there are no exemptions to that lower age limit (DCDE letter to parents, Citizens Information).

How many hours of ECCE are free?

3 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 38 weeks: 15 free hours a week. In 2026/27 that is 182 days, from 24 August 2026 to 2 July 2027 (DCDE letter to parents).

Can a preschool charge a deposit for an ECCE place?

Only a refundable booking deposit, of no more than 4 weeks of ECCE payments (€276 in 2026/27). It must be returned in full once your child’s ECCE registration is approved. Non-refundable deposits are not allowed (DCDE letter to parents).

Do I have to pay for extras?

No. Extra hours and optional extras (such as food or activities) can be charged for, but they cannot be a condition of getting or keeping an ECCE place. If you say no to an optional extra, the service must give your child other activities at that time (Citizens Information).

Can I use ECCE and the NCS together?

Yes. ECCE covers the free preschool hours, and the NCS can help with the cost of care outside them. ECCE hours are not deducted from your NCS hours (Citizens Information).

What happens if my child misses a lot of preschool?

A child may lose their ECCE place after 4 weeks’ absence in a row. Places can be kept for longer in some situations, for example up to 12 weeks for a prolonged illness in the family or up to 6 weeks after a bereavement (Citizens Information).

Sources

Last checked: October 2026. Every rate, date and rule on this page comes from the official pages below. Rules change, usually from September each year, so confirm anything important at the source before you rely on it. CrecheFinder is independent and is not part of the Government, Pobal or Tusla.

• Department of Children, Disability and Equality: 2026/2027 ECCE letter to parents (PDF, ncs.gov.ie)
• ECCE Programme Rules 2026/27 (PDF, ncs.gov.ie)
• Citizens Information: Early Childhood Care and Education programme (ECCE)
• Citizens Information: National Childcare Scheme (edited 13 October 2026)
• ncs.gov.ie: Types of subsidy and reckonable income
• gov.ie: Core Funding fee management conditions (updated 9 October 2026)