Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2015
133. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to introduce a comprehensive preschool education system, linked and integrated to national schools here; the research that has been undertaken by her Department in relation to developing policy in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8736/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe principle vehicle for delivery of pre-school education is the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which was introduced in January 2010 by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and provides early learning to children in the year before they commence primary school. I consider this to be a comprehensive pre-school education system with somewhere in the region of 94% of eligible children enrolled. Children should, of course, experience a continuum of education from pre-school through to primary and Aistear, the Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Education, is designed to be used in all settings where children are present, whether that setting is a pre-school or a Junior Infant classroom. With the provision of an integrated curriculum, I do not consider there is a requirement to physically integrate pre-primary education with primary education.
