Reopening of ECCE (pre-school) programs also delayed until January 11 Department of Children confirms

More than 100,000 children will be impacted.

Earlier this week, the Department of Education confirmed that school children will be spending an extra few days at home after the Christmas break, with schools across the nation now only set to return on Monday, January 11th, all in a bid to slow down the spread of the Covid-19 virus. And now the same has been announced for pre-school (ECCE) programs across Ireland, a move which will impact close to 130,000 children across the country. Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman met with the Early Learning and Childcare Covid-19 Advisory Group on New Year's Eve to discuss the matter after representatives from the group had shared their concerns about the reopening of preschools amid the current rising infections rates of the Convid-19 virus in Ireland. While accepting the need to maintain early learning and childcare for priority groups, the advisory group asked for the pre-school programme to be aligned with the reopening of other schools on January 11, and the minister agreed. In a statement, the Department of Children said: “By postponing the return of these children to the pre-school programme, social mixing will be reduced, which will help to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the post-Christmas period.” Schools and early learning and childcare services are deemed as essential under level 5, including childminders that provide services other than, or in addition to, the pre-school programme. The department described these childminders as providing: “an essential service which supports parents to go to work”. As such, Mr O’Gorman has asked these services, which are private businesses, to reopen as planned from January 4 to provide childcare, particularly to priority groups. The Department of Children said they will provide guidance to services on how to prioritise demand for places in their services, if they are short-staffed and unable to reopen with a full staff complement for the week of January 4 to 8. The pre-school programme is being provided by more than 4,000 childcare services nationwide.