Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. On the origin of the exemption, when the ECCE programme was just a one-year programme there were certain children who, because of their particular needs, would not have been able to avail of the full five days so they ended up taking three. We allowed them to take it then over two years. I believe that is the origin of the two-year rule in that particular situation but I will double-check that and revert to the Deputy on that specific point.

It is worth noting, from my Department looking into this to address the Deputy's question, that the main reason for the refusals this year is that the children would end up attending school over the age of six. That is the key reason, and that is set out in the Education (Welfare) Act.

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