Mr. Toby Wolfe:

One of the core principles in the expert group's report was what we call progressive universalism. That means that one provides services universally, but additional supports are provided for families with additional needs on that universal base. The DEIS model is exactly that. One is saying that primary school is a universal service for all children, but in disadvantaged areas one provides additional supports on that universal base. The expert group said that that principle should be applied across the board in terms of health, education and early care in education.

What is the priority in times of tight finances? Is a second free preschool year a priority, or should it be something else? The expert group's clear recommendation is that, while it called for an extension of preschool provision, quality must be raised first. That is the clear priority. The expert group said that quality is the foremost policy challenge facing early care in education in Ireland today. It is an issue that links to the question of good use of public spending because of the research evidence that says that children only benefit from early care in education if it is of high quality. If it is of low quality children do not benefit. The State is putting €170 million annually into the free preschool year as it stands. That is only benefiting children in those high-quality services. Where it is of low quality, it is not benefiting them. The money is only well spent if the services are of high quality. That is why the expert group has a clear position that quality comes first.