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

This is an area that the working group set up to examine the issue of special needs can consider. More attention is being paid to the preschool sector, special needs and disability. It is hard to know what the complex reasons are for the figure of 250. It is interesting. Where else are these children accessing preschool services? Are they obtaining them privately or what arrangements are parents who can afford it making? Then there is an issue for parents who cannot afford any service; therefore, it does raise that question about children and the pre-primary school settings they are in, if any.

In respect of the child care capital grants we announced, it was incorrect to say it was not new money. It is new money. It is the first time this has been announced. It is a new capital programme for this year. It is extra money for the sector. I brought back the capital funding last year. It had been cut for the previous three years and, obviously, it is heavily oversubscribed, but I am pleased that we were able to have that €2.5 million as a support for services around the country to improve accessibility, play and recreation and general standards in facilities. It absolutely is new money; it is not money that has been announced before.