Core Funding is a grant scheme provided directly to Early Learning and Childcare service providers administered by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (the Department). Under the Core Funding Partner Service Agreement, all service providers that had an active core funding contract during the 1 September 2024 - 31 August 2025 programme year (Year 3) must engage a qualified professional accountant to submit a financial return.
The returns must be submitted by 31 March 2026.
The Department requires that these financial returns must be submitted by a qualified professional accountant. The accountant can be an employee of the provider (if certain conditions are met) or an independent qualified accountant who holds a Practising Certificate (PC) and professional indemnity insurance. Accountants linked to childcare service providers will have received a letter (attached) from the Department this week outlining the steps to complete and submit the financial returns.
For the 2024/2025 programme year (Year 3), accountants will need to submit a trial balance prepared at site level using accruals-based accounting. Submission of the trial balance prepared using accruals-based accounting is a change for Year 3 given that returns submitted in Years 1 and 2 used cash-based accounting.
The Department’s portal website www.cfcrrs.ie is now open for submission of the financial returns and guidance documents for Year 3 have been added to Department's Early Years Hive website.
Members can read further information and links to some further guidance on our dedicated webpage.
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