Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This concerns Question No. 11 but the general point about the inclusion of children with special needs in the preschool programme is well made. It is important to intervene with children with special needs as early as possible. The early school years programme is very helpful to those children. It is available free to every child between three and four years of age, including children with special needs.

My Department has initiated a number of ways the service can be helpful to children with special needs, including an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification under the programme where a child is developmentally delayed and would benefit from starting primary school at a later age. In addition, children with special needs can apply to have the preschool years split over two years on a pro rata basis. For example, they can avail of the programme for two days a week in the first year and three days a week in the second year. Applications can be made prior to the child starting preschool.

In response to the question, my Department is working with the office of disability and mental health in the Department of Health to examine how supports to facilitate the inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream preschool settings can be improved. There are a number of challenges in the area and it is worthy of further discussion. If there are extra initiatives we can take in order that children with special needs are integrated more seamlessly into the services, I want to see that. A second year will benefit all children, including those with special needs. We must work on that preschool quality agenda to which Deputy Troy and I referred.

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