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Early Childhood Care and Education

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021

Wednesday, 13 January 2021

Questions (620)

Niall Collins

Question:

620. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a person (details supplied) can defer an ECCE place for the person's children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44849/20]

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Written answers

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year preschool programme available to all children within the eligible age range. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week, over 38 weeks per year. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the September start date and a child cannot turn 5 years and 6 months of age during the course of the ECCE programme year. All children, including those with additional needs, are entitled to two years on the ECCE programme. The ECCE programme is not mandatory, and a parent may choose to send their child to ECCE for just one year, or not at all.

In the case referred to by the Deputy the parents may choose to defer starting the ECCE programme by one year therefore starting in September 2021. Due to the age of the children referred to, they will only be eligible for one year of ECCE, due to their age. It is currently open to parents in this situation to apply for an overage exemption to avail of a ECCE second year. The Department in deciding such applications is guided by expert advice that it is in children's best interests to start primary school with their age cohort.

It is not possible for the Department to approve an overage exemption for September 2022 based on a speech therapists report of March 2020.

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