Vol. 432 No. 1
238 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education if she has any plans to reduce the compulsory schooling age to five years, thus reflecting current practice and ensuring greater resourcing for the vital area of early childhood education; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Almost all five year-olds, and about 65 per cent of four year-old children already attend infant classes in our primary schools. Accordingly, I do not have any proposal at present to reduce the compulsory school age to five years.
The whole area of school attendance will be examined in the context of the review of the School Attendance Act, 1926, which is under way at present.
