Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, I must stick to the script. It is intended that, over time, all children with additional needs enrolled in early learning and care in school-aged children services will have access to supports under AIM. To this end, consideration is being given by officials in the Department of children to policy and mechanisms to extend AIM to under-threes as well an extension of AIM to school-aged children.

As noted in the opening statement, it is critical the response is evidence-based and reflective of the needs of children. This will require tailoring of AIM and differentiation of approaches. In addition, it is worth noting that an independent review of the ECCE programme has recently been completed. Among other issues, it examined the ratios of younger children participating in the ECCE programme and possible flexibility with ECCE age eligibility more broadly. The findings will inform potential changes to the programme in future. It is intended that the review will be published in the coming weeks. Deputy Wynne can be assured this matter is under active consideration and funding should be made available in future budgets.

In the allotted time I have, let me be as helpful as I can regarding Alex. Alex is under three and is not attending the ECCE programme but is attending services.

10 o’clock

I have no doubt he is under either a primary care team or a CDNT. I assume he is under a primary care team. I ask the manager to reach out to the local primary care office where an OT might be able to duplicate the chair that is there already. Aids and appliances are what make life handier for families, but most importantly for that child. I have no doubt that as Alex grows, he will outgrow stuff, so there should be a recyclability programme within the HSE, so they should reach out to see if they can get the loan of a chair while he outgrows it. That would be my response.

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