James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With the indulgence of the Chamber, I will answer this question, which has been raised frequently today, because it is a very important issue and a very important area. We are talking about the early childhood care and education programme, which provides one preschool year to qualifying children before they commence primary school.

The ECCE programme is a free and universal programme to which all children, including those with special needs, have access.

Children are eligible to avail of the free pre-school year where they are aged more than three years and two months and less than four years and seven months at 1 September in the relevant year. Children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 will qualify for the programme in September 2015.

The issue of access to the free pre-school year for children with special needs was taken into account when the free pre-school year was launched, and a number of measures were introduced to make the programme more accessible for these children. These measures include 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 pre-school year split over two years on a pro ratabasis, for example, availing of the programme for two days a week in the first year and for three days a week in the second year, if that would be in the child's best interest.

It is important to emphasise that most children with special needs avail of the free pre-school year in mainstream child care services. I am aware that the Health Service Executive does, where possible, assist children with special needs who may require additional support to enable them to avail of pre-school services in mainstream settings. However, the fact that these supports are not nationally consistent is a matter of concern to me.

My Department has been working with the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills to build better supports that will facilitate children who have special needs. The aim is to develop an agreed framework for the provision of resources to support children with special needs in mainstream child care settings.

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