Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I raised this question because a huge number of people contacted us in recent weeks about it. I have often dealt with queries about the overage exemption and I have to say that, to date, I do not know one person who has got it. I might have been unlucky with the cases I have been dealing with, in that people have not got it. It seems to be the case that if it is available parents feel they might be able to qualify for it but when we look at the criteria it appears that, technically, nobody will qualify under that. I appreciate the Minister will check it but could it be reviewed, even in the context of this year?

Although the school year and the ECCE scheme have started, could the criteria be reviewed given that so many children did not have the two or three months of preschool because everything closed down on 12 March or 13 March? Maybe they were going to benefit from an additional year anyway but, given the situation we are in now, could the scheme be reviewed? If possible, I would like to send the Minister the details of the case in question.

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