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Irish Pre-School
Irish Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme (ECCE)
Pre-school is optional in Ireland. Under the ECCE scheme children are entitled to a year of free pre-schooling in the year prior to starting primary schools. Prior to this, parents must pay for their children to attend.
The scheme provides three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks. The programme is available to all children who have turned 2 years and 8 months of age before 1 September. If your child attends the care service for longer than this, then you will be charged for that extra time.
Pre-school in Ireland takes the form of privately run crèches, play-schools and Montessori schools. Children can attend for one year or two years at the ages of three and/or four.
Irish Childcare Options
Full Day Care
Full day care provides children three months to six years structured care for over 3.5 hours a day. Some services may also include after-school care. Providers include day nurseries and crèches.
Sessional Pre-School Service
Sessional pre-school services offer a planned program to pre-school children for up to 3.5 hours per session and generally care for children between the ages of two and six years old. In order to provide the service, a recognised childcare qualification is required.
Options:
- Montessori groups focus on individualised education where children can independently choose their own activities. Care provided for children up to six years of age.
- Parent and toddler groups are a group of parents, guardians or carers who come together with their children for supervised play and companionship.
- Naíonraí are Irish speaking nursery schools or play schools.
- Early Start Program is a one-year preventative intervention scheme offered in selected schools in designated disadvantaged areas to children aged three and four years old.
Childminders
A childminder cares for children in their own home, sometimes alongside their own children, for more than two hours a day. In some countries this may be called Home or Family Day Care. A childminder can care for up to five children under the age of six years. Parents and childminders arrange their own terms and conditions.
School-Age Childcare
Services for schoolchildren can include breakfast clubs, after school clubs and school holiday programs such as summer camps. The service may also include homework supervision, planned activities and a meal.
Au Pair
An au pair is not a professional nanny or childminder. They are typically a young person who lives as part of a host family. They are usually given room and board and paid a weekly allowance of between €80 and €120 in exchange for about 20 hours of services, such as, light housework and/or child minding. This arrangement gives the au pair the opportunity to experience a different culture and improve their foreign language skills.
To learn more about being an Au Pair or about the specialist private agencies that can assist you to source an au pair.
Irish Childcare Rates
The Irish childcare rates are dependent on the type of childcare you choose, the number of hours and the level of staff training in that facility.
The pre-school education year provided under the Early Childhood Care and Education scheme is free.
For Further Information
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs, City and County Childcare Committees (CCC) website can help you find a childcare provider. They also provide further information about the types of childcare and schemes available. They even have a calculator that helps you to calculate the approximate fees for childcare services.
The Child and Family Agency is able to provide you essential information such as:
- Tips on choosing a pre-school
- Inspection Reports on childcare services
- List of childcare services by county
- Standard operating services
- Advice if you have a difficulty or a complaint about a service
Anbarasan
Hello, good day!
Im from Malaysia, and just recently get an job oppurtunity from Limerick ireland. Probably very soon will migrate to Limerick with family, wife and 1kid 3yrs 2mnth. Seeking advice for preschool options at Limerick area together with estimated fee’s. Asking here because when survey in Google prices looks inconsistent in every webpage and making me scared of that. Parallelly I’m looking for rent hse also at Limerick, if able get help for that will very very much happy. Hopefully i will get help from here.
Many thanks and best regards.
Andreea
Hello, I am planning to move in Ireland next year together with my kids ( 4 years and 2 years and 7 months ). The older one has hearing problems and has hearing aid, his problem is on both ears and is permanent. What are my options regarding the education for them ? We are curently living in The Netherlands and the older one will start school in november ( will turn 4 ) and the other one goes to daycare for 5 days from 8 till 17 ( I work 40 hours per week and I am separated ).
sky
hey i am a single parent to a 5 years old and I am moving to ireland as a nurse , the nursing shifts require me to work at night some days , what do you think would be my best option and cost friendly .
Ana Costa
Hi, I have the same question. How did you manage? Thanks
Alan O'Byrne
Hi,
I’m trying to get my 4 year old registered for Junior Infants, from United States for next September 2022. I contacted a couple of schools, and they said you can register. As not 100% sure where living yet, is there a penalty to register, get accepted but then cancel?
Regards,
Alan
Preethi velu
I moved to dundalk from Chennai 2 weeks before I am having 3.8 year old baby which school is best in dundalk at what age I can join my baby to school give any suggestions because she don’t know English now only she want to learn English how can she mingle with everyone
Bala tamachandran
Hi Preethi ji, I am Bala from Chennai. I am moving to dundalk with my wife and 2 kids. 4 yrs and 2 yrs old.
Jatin kumar
Hello Colleen,
next month I am moving to Dublin from India with my wife and 3.5 years old Son, But a bit scared regarding the admission for my son. would you please guide me about pre-school admission?
some of my friends told me that it’s very hard to get admission to pre-school so if this is the case then how we can get admission for my son?
Regards,
Jatin
Colleen
You should contact the providers as soon as possible to discuss your child’s admission. They will advise you on the procedures and any possible wait lists.
niall murphy
Hi Colleen
We are moving home in April of this year. We are struggling to find a preschool to take our son for the few months before the summer holidays as they are all saying that they are full in the area we are moving to. We would prefer our son to be in a preschool with other kids, learning and developing all the time – rather than being with a childminder all the time.
I was wondering if we have any options? Can the system say ‘no spaces andthat’s it’ or is there some way we can get our son into one of these preschools. We feel not attending a preschool would set him back before he starts a normal school in Sept 2021.
This is our biggest hurdle and is causing the biggest headache. We feel if we can get a place somewhere, then we can move on with the other decisions of finding childcare for our 1 year old and deciding on jobs/working hours for ourselves.
Thank You
Colleen
Sorry, I don’t work in Childcare so am unable to advise you. I suggest that you get in contact the support services such as Early Childhood Ireland to get some advice. Depending on your area a lot of them run waitlists, so you can try registering in the meantime.
Siobhan
Hi Niall,
Maybe you could consider a childminder or nanny? It could work at least until you find a place in a creche. There are loads of childminder sites but a really good one we just came across is http://www.suresitter.com. We found a great childminder there. Best of luck with the move!
Kim Opay
I am a family home childcare provider in my home in the USA. I have a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Masters of Science in Educational Leadership. What would I have to do to be a home child care provider in Ireland if we relocated there?
Val
Hi there,
My husband is offered a job in Dublin and we are searching for full time school for our children. What options would you recommend for two full time working parents with two kids (8 yo and 4 yo)? I have read that the primary school is up to 2pm/3pm and the pre-school ends even earlier. Are there after school activities/programs, are they popular among children, where can I find more information?
Thanks in advance.
Colleen
Services for school children can include breakfast clubs, after school clubs and school holiday programs such as summer camps. The service may also include homework supervision, planned activities and a meal. You will need to check what the school offers. Or you could also look at private options such as an after school childminder. The School Days website is a helpful website.
Tate
Hello, thanks for the info. Moving to Ireland around August with wife and baby daughter (1 year 10 months then). What childcare options will be available for that age range?
Colleen
It depends on your personal circumstances, but you could look at day care, a childminder, or getting an Au Pair. Once your child is old enough they can also access the pre-school options. These options are detailed in this post.
Sachin Ghumbre
I am originally from India and coming to Cork for my work on Intra Company Transfer visa of Ireland. I have a daughter and her age is 2 years 6 months. This 25th August 2020, she will be 3 years old. I would like her to attend the pre-school or primary school whichever is available for her.
I would like to know how can I go for it and is it free?
Colleen
Read more about the criteria for the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme here . It is available to children who are 2 years and 8 months of age before 1 September and continue until they transfer to primary school. The State pays participating playschools and daycare services a set amount per child to offer the ECCE service. In return, participating centres and playschools provide a pre-school service free of charge to all children within the qualifying age range. However, this service is for a set number of hours over a set period of weeks. You will need to pay for any additional childcare on top of this.
You may be asked to pay for a booking deposit, but this must be repaid to you by the end of October of the year your child starts.
I recommend visiting the Department of Children and Youth Affairs website City and County Childcare Committees (CCC) here. They can help you find a childcare provider and even have a calculator that helps you to calculate the approximate fees for childcare services (outside of the free ECCE service).
Engy Farouk
Greetings, and after … I live in Cairo, Egypt with my family. I look forward to living in Ireland. I have been working in the field of teaching for 7 years, and I have volunteered in the service of the elderly, especially children since 14 years. Children … I hope to get a job opportunity .. I can work hard and in the hours of his work, and also I am quick to understand. And I am looking for an opportunity to work with children, because this is an area that has my passion and my great love, and if not, please Somewhat interested ..
Colleen
Hi Engy Farouk,
I’ve removed your email address as you shouldn’t post that online. If you want to understand the process of getting a job, then head to my post How to get a Job in Ireland.
Clive
Hi Colleen
I have a special needs child. I would like some info on how he would be placed or any advice at all how to get him in or find a suitable school.
Thanks kindly
Colleen
Hi Clive,
Ireland’s National Council for Special Education have released an information booklet for parents. It provides information about the support available. All children – including children with disabilities and children with special needs – have a constitutional right to free primary education.
Some children attend special classes in mainstream schools and these classes generally have low pupil/teacher ratios. There are also over 140 special schools catering for particular types of disability and special needs. You can find the special schools in your area on the website on the NCSE website.
Clive
Wow. Awesome. Thanks so much Colleen