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

I appreciate the commitment and passion with which the Deputy has expressed her views on these issues. She is committed to doing her job as a public representative in the best possible manner. She stated that a number of providers have contacted her to express their view that at least two of the intake times have been working well and without administrative difficulties. She also indicated that other Deputies received similar representations. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has based its decision on the representations it received from providers and parents regarding the difficulties that are being encountered in administering the scheme, for example, with regard to the three entry points. In particular, it was mentioned that there was often a lack of places by the time the third entry point was reached. Our position on the appropriate time for a child to begin preschool is based on international best practice and research. We engage in ongoing monitoring as part of our efforts to make the best possible policy and procedural decisions for parents and children.

The Deputy asked for a review, but I assure her that the decisions we make are reviewed and monitored, in effect, on an ongoing basis. The Department will review the issue that has been raised by the Deputy, particularly her indication that a number of people have expressed concern about a lack of fairness. One of the reasons we decided to make a change to the ECCE scheme was in order to facilitate an increase in the number of weeks for which children can enjoy this opportunity. Indeed, we are very committed to fairness. This scheme is child-centred. I recommend that the Deputy, and any other Deputies she knows of who share her concerns, should provide me and the Department with details of the representations to which she has alluded. We will take a look at them to see whether the decision we have made should be revisited in light of the significant number of people who, according to the Deputy, are saying this will not work.

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