School Starting Age

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 September 2011

Tuesday, 20 September 2011

Ceisteanna (133, 134)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

160 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to raise the school-going age to five and to abolish the transition year. [24538/11]

Robert Troy

Ceist:

182 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding increasing the age at which children start national school and the abolition of the transition year. [24968/11]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 182 together.

The compulsory school starting age is 6 years of age and a child must be at least 4 years of age before she/he may be enrolled in a primary school.

A proposal to raise the school starting age to 5 years and the abolition of transition year were among a range of budgetary savings options that were put forward to the previous government as a means of reducing teacher payroll costs. These measures were not implemented.

The Deputy will be aware that within the context of the parameters of the EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland, it is not possible to give commitments about any future measures that may be required.