Preschool Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 April 2010

Tuesday, 27 April 2010

Ceisteanna (187)

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

224 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children, further to Parliamentary Question No. 257 of 20 April 2010, if her attention has been drawn to the fact that children may start primary school when they are four years of age, not four and a half as indicated in her initial reply; if she will note that a child whose birthday falls between 30 June and 30 August cannot avail of the early childhood care and education scheme unless their parents decide to send them to primary school when they are almost five years of age; if she will consider that a substantial cohort of children are affected by this at present; if she will amend this scheme accordingly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17043/10]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy Barry Andrews)

I have responsibility for implementing the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, which was introduced in January this year. In my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 257 on 20 April 2010 I stated that the majority of children commence primary school between the ages of 4 years and 6 months and 5 years and 6 months. It is accepted that some parents choose to send their children to primary school at an earlier age and the ECCE scheme allows for children to attend the pre-school year and still commence primary school when they are just over 4 years and 2 months of age.

The ECCE scheme takes cognisance of the variation in school admission policies in regard to the age at which children may enter primary school. As a result, the qualifying age range extends to nearly a 17 month period i.e. children eligible for admission this January were born between 2 February 2005 and 30 June 2006. Provision is also made for children to qualify at a later age if this is necessary to meet a particularly high age requirement in local primary schools or if they have special needs which make enrolment at a later age more appropriate.

It is necessary to the objectives of the ECCE scheme that appropriate age-related early learning activities are provided to children in their pre-school year. The scheme must remain sufficiently targeted to ensure the best delivery of pre-school education and, therefore, it is not proposed to extend the eligibility age range beyond that currently provided for.