Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Deputies' support for this. We all look forward to the time when there will be two preschool years. There is broad agreement that is what we are aiming towards. There is no policy debate on this and it is a matter of when rather than should. It is a joined up programme from year one to year six. There is close interaction and integration and very strong co-operation between the two Departments. I am sure there is also very close co-operation in terms of the Department of Education and Skills and the support it has given to preschool teachers as well as to teachers in junior and senior infant classes. I will get more information for the Deputies and will outline exactly what is happening on the ground because I do not have all the information with me.

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