Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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8. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children with special needs accessing mainstream preschool education and the plans in place to provide the additional supports required to facilitate children with additional needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35730/14]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The question relates to the scenario in which children with special educational needs access preschool education. What plans has the Department put in place to provide additional supports to children with special educational needs?

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for his question. My Department implements the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme, which provides a free preschool year to all eligible children before they commence primary school. The programme is a free and universal provision to which all children have access.

A number of additional provisions have been added to ensure the ECCE programme is more accessible to children with special needs. These include an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification under the programme where a child would benefit from starting primary school at a later age. In addition, children with special needs can apply to have the preschool year split over two years on apro ratabasis, for example, availing of the programme for two days a week in the first year and for three days a week in the second year.

I am aware that the Health Service Executive does, where possible, provide additional supports to children with special needs to enable them to avail of preschool services in mainstream preschool settings. My Department has been working with the Department of Health in the context of building better supports to facilitate children with special needs. The aim is to develop an agreed framework for the provision of resources to support special needs children in mainstream child care settings. However ,the issue of supports for children with special needs availing of services in mainstream child care settings remains a matter for the Department of Health and the HSE.

Figures relating to special needs children availing of the ECCE programme are not collated by my Department. However Pobal, which assists my Department in the implementation of child care programmes, conducts an annual survey of the early years sector. According to its 2013 report, of the 2,592 respondents to the survey, 1,254 services reported that they have at least one child with a disability in attendance. A total of 3,899 children with disabilities of varying types were accessing their services.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Who has statutory responsibility? Is it the HSE or the Department of Education and Skills? Neither of them claims responsibility. Currently, the provision of services is disjointed throughout the country. In a number of counties, service provision is positive while in others, it is poor. The Minister alluded to the Pobal survey that was published during the summer which highlighted that 1,254 services reported that they had at least one child with a disability and there were a total of 3,899 children with varying disabilities in services. If one extrapolates those figures based on the 61% response rate, it means that more than 6,000 children with a disability attend these services. When I asked the Minister's predecessor last year the number of children with a disability who were availing of the preschool year over two years, to which he alluded, she replied it was only approximately 260. Given that according to the Pobal survey, approximately 6,000 children with special education needs avail of these services, why are only 260 children availing of the preschool year over two years?

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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One should be careful about extrapolating the figures based on the survey because that may not be accurate. I do not say that is unreasonable but it may not be accurate. We are reviewing this area because the Government is keen to support a second free preschool year at some point in the future and there is concern among providers that we need to address inconsistencies in quality, inspections and standards before introducing a second year. That work is ongoing. I have had meetings with the representative bodies and I have listened to their concerns. It is well accepted that we need to conduct the review before we move forward.

There are 4,300 child care services and almost all the preschool services in the country participate in the ECCE programme.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the major problems with quality and so on. I did not refer to the introduction of a second free preschool year. I asked about how the Department will support children with special educational needs who cannot avail of the current preschool year, which is the primary problem. What does that say about the Government's inclusion policy?

The Minister did not answer the question about who has statutory responsibility for this area. Is it the HSE or the Department of Education and Skills? A national inclusion policy is needed to ensure these children receive the necessary supports and to ensure a uniform approach throughout the country.

The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act must also be implemented in full to provide legislative back-up. Is the Minister aware that service providers are legally entitled to refuse to accept a child with special educational needs seeking to avail of the free preschool year if the necessary supports are not available?

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I reiterate that the initial supports for children with special needs availing of services in mainstream child care settings remain a matter for the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. I hope that clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Department and HSE have statutory responsibility.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question No. 9 in the name of Deputy Clare Daly cannot be taken as the Deputy is not present in the Chamber.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question No. 10 in the name of Deputy Timmins cannot be taken as the Deputy is not present in the Chamber.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question No. 11 is in the name of Deputy Troy.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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This is some lottery.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Sometimes it goes in our favour and sometimes it goes against us.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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That certainly seems to be the case.