Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

That is what I am trying to describe to the Deputy. These considerations are happening in the context of that other consultation. I understand that if the policy is to offer two years, parents hope to be able to access that. To give the Deputy a practical response, specific to what we were speaking about there with regard to the January issue, to resolve the concerns being raised, my Department would have to further lower the age limit to two years and five months, possibly. If we were to do that, this would have cost implications. A further €20 million per annum would be required. It would place a greater burden on ECCE providers as many children in the age group are not toilet trained. It could also have an impact on ratios. These are the kinds of issues being considered in the context of those very real questions and concerns that parents are raising about children's age.

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