Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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4. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the comparatively low numbers of children accessing the second free preschool year - the figures come to 261 and 232 children for September 2012 to June 2013 and September 2013 to June 2014 respectively - if she will amend the criteria for children with special educational needs to entitle them to two full years of free preschool education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14427/14]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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In the previous question the Minister alluded to the fact that she was keen to see the free preschool year rolled out to a second year. Given the relatively low number of children with special educational needs who availed of the preschool year split over two years - I understand the figures were 261 in 2012 and 232 in 2013 - will the Minister consider the possibility of introducing a full second preschool year for children with special educational needs?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Troy for the question. Fully 68,000 children are availing of the free preschool year in the academic year 2012-13 at a cost of €175 million. As Deputy Troy is aware, there are several additional provisions to take account of children with special needs. These include an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification under the programme where a child is developmentally delayed. In addition, children with special needs can apply to have the preschool year split over two years on a pro rata basis - for example, availing of the programme for two days a week in the first year and three days a week in the second year. Applications for these exemptions can be made prior to the child's commencing the programme and they are granted to all eligible children. However, most children with disabilities participate in the free preschool year without seeking these exemptions. Therefore, the figure for the take-up of these provisions is far smaller than the number of children in the programme. There are many more children with disabilities in the programme availing of the general one-year scheme.

My Department has been actively working with the Department of Health, specifically the office of disability and mental health, in the context of building better supports to facilitate the inclusion of special needs children in mainstream preschool settings. Furthermore, budget 2013 includes a capital funding programme providing grants under four strands, one of which was specifically for grants to improve the accessibility of services for children with disabilities. This was secured and included by my Department in the budget.

I believe a second year would be particularly beneficial for children with special needs and I would like to be in a position to deliver on this. However, the introduction of a second preschool year for children with special needs alone at this point would require the introduction of a detailed evaluation and appeals process, which would require extra funding. I discussed the issue with the National Disability Authority last year. The representatives of the authority were not in favour of a second year for children with disabilities on their own. They took the view that it would not be in line with the mainstream policy for children with disabilities. In other words, they would prefer a second year to be available to all children, and children with disabilities would be able to benefit from that.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

Future developments relating to early years care and education are being considered as part of the preparation of the new national early years strategy. The report of the expert advisory group, Right from the Start, sets out a wide range of recommendations for consideration and will contribute substantially to the final draft of the early years strategy. One of the recommendations in the report for consideration in the preparation of the strategy is to extend the free preschool provision, but only after achieving higher quality standards, more investment in training and mentoring and professionalisation of the early years workforce.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I do not expect the Minister to have the information I am seeking today. However, will the Minister come back to me and identify exactly the number of children with special educational needs who are availing of the free preschool year? The Minister said these numbers only reflected the people who take out exemptions. What is happening at the moment is rather ad hoc in nature. The HSE is involved, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is involved and the Department of Education and Skills is involved. The current contract for the free preschool year gives child care providers the option to refuse children with special educational needs if they do not have the resources to cater for their individual needs, and that is what is happening. This was raised when we discussed the matter under Private Members' business. There is anecdotal evidence of this taking place throughout the country because of the ad hoc nature of how the service is being administered. It raises the question of whether this is truly a universal scheme, since the legislation enables contractors to refuse a child with special educational needs on the grounds that the State is not giving them the necessary supports to ensure service provision for these children. Just as a child with no special educational needs is entitled to go to free preschool in mainstream education, so should these children.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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This is an important area. I will come back to Deputy Troy with those figures. Part and parcel of moving to improve preschool services is to have a focus on early years. I have begun this by setting up the task force on early years and commissioning the report Right from the Start, which examines some of these issues and makes recommendations.

I agree with Deputy Troy that this area requires a special focus. It is a high priority for me to examine precisely the situation of children with special needs in their early years because I am absolutely of the opinion that early intervention for these children is critical. The best use of the free preschool year is part and parcel of this. There has not been such a focus on this area of the preschool year in the past. I am keen to ensure that children with special needs have the best possible access. This will require interdepartmental work involving my Department, the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills, and budget lines will have to be identified. I will come back to Deputy Troy with the figures as soon as they are available.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate that and I thank the Minister. The Minister has hit the nail on the head: early intervention is critical, especially for a child with special educational needs. Longer interventions are critical as well. This is why I am saying that at a time of tight resources we should be looking at introducing a second preschool year for these children. We should get in early and provide longer interventions. This will save money in the long run and leave these special children better equipped to deal with mainstream education at primary level.

I would welcome it if the Minister could give a commitment today to provide me with the figure for all children with special educational needs who are availing of the free preschool year. Will the Minister establish what it would cost to introduce the second preschool year for this section of society? Does the Minister not believe it is appropriate that the contract should be reviewed and that it is altogether despicable that a child care provider, in this day and age, can refuse a child with special educational needs entering mainstream child care? I believe it is despicable and I would welcome it if the Minister gave a commitment on the floor of the Dáil today to the effect that the contract will be reviewed to ensure this practice cannot continue in future.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I have seen many examples of preschool services that are going above and beyond the call of duty to include children with special needs. There is no question that this is taking place.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the Minister, but it is on an ad hoc basis.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Furthermore, the fact that funding is now available to make the services accessible is important, and providers are taking that up.

I will revert to the Deputy with the outcome of the discussions among the Department of Health and Children, my Department and the Office for Disability and Mental Health. We are working actively to build better supports. I will revert with the figures. It is an area which requires intensive focus. It would be an extremely good outcome if children with special needs had comprehensive access to the free preschool year.