Emmet Stagg
Ceist:31 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science when the White Paper on early education will be published; the main recommendations; and if he is committed to putting this sector on a proper financial footing. [20182/99]
Written Answers. - Early Childhood Education.
Donal Carey
Ceist:51 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Education and Science the provision, if any, he has made in the Estimates provision for 2000 for a budget for pre-school provision; and the parameters of this budgetary provision. [20020/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 51 together.
I am pleased to inform the Deputies that work on the White Paper is now well advanced and I hope to be in a position to publish it quite soon.
Initial work on the preparation of the White Paper on early childhood education began last year, when I convened the National Forum for Early Childhood Education. This forum provided an opportunity for all those involved in the area of early childhood education to come together and to share their views on future policy for early childhood education. The report on the forum, which was compiled by an independent secretariat, was published last November. The report constitutes a major input to the White Paper preparation process.
The White Paper will set out Government policy on early childhood education and will provide a blueprint for the development of the sector. It will set out a range of proposals covering early education for children aged from birth to six years. The principal aim will be to raise standards and improve quality of provision of early childhood education services. While quality of provision generally will be addressed, particular attention will be given to the needs of those most in need of assistance including children with special needs and children who are educationally disadvantaged.
As the Deputy will be aware, the recommendations and financial arrangements in the White Paper must receive approval by Government before I can publish them. As I have not yet submitted the White Paper to Government, I am not, therefore, in a position to discuss these recommendations at this stage. For similar reasons, I am unable, at this stage, to provide details of the Estimate for 2000 for pre-school education although I can assure the Deputy that pre-school provision is being taken fully into account in the preparation of the Estimates.