Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I know that. Many times in this Chamber I have said we have free national school, secondary school and third level education, however we continue to neglect the education and development of our youngest citizens in the zero to five age group. There is clear evidence from the literature around the globe that while all investment in education yields a rich dividend for the economic and social well-being of society, the highest returns accrue from investment in early life education. The benefits of investment in early-life education are proved to be more pronounced in the poorer socioeconomic groups.

In July, the National Economic and Social Forum, NESF, expressed disappointment that its recommendation to provide free high-quality child care in the year before a child goes to school has not been implemented. In my White Report, A New Approach to Childcare, published in 2006, I did a class report and gave good marks to the child care supplement, the establishment of the new Minister of State with responsibility for children and the increase in paid maternity leave to 26 weeks, however I said I was disappointed no vision had been spelled out for a free pre-school education. We have made no moves on that. Pre-school education would enhance the all-round development of children, including their emotional, intellectual, social and behavioural development. Disadvantaged children would benefit to a greater extent from such provision, especially where there is a mix of children from different backgrounds.

I have had discussions with Professor Tom Collins, the dean of teaching and learning at NUI Maynooth, who has a vision for education on this island. He and I are on the same wavelength regarding the benefits of pre-school education. I was with Professor Collins yesterday and he pointed out that the benefit of pre-school education lasts until a person is 40 years old. The advantage pushes through until middle age, particularly regarding issues such as crime-prevention, health, family and children. Pre-school education is an effective mechanism for addressing child poverty. Our children need to enter primary school with a pre-developed disposition to learn. They do not need to be able to read before they go to school, but they need a passion to learn, discover and realise their potential. If they do not have that in their little hearts and souls by the age of six it is too late.

Considering the social and other benefits a pre-school year would generate, both immediately and in the longer term, the cost to the Exchequer of such a new approach would be relatively minor. Two years ago the NESF published an estimated cost of €136 million per year for a sessional period of 2.5 hours per day, five days per week. When it launched the report this July I called the chairperson and asked if she stands over that figure. I had that figure in my document but was told it could not be correct. However, the chairperson of NESF stands over it.

It is somewhat surprising that this issue has not been addressed by now because it is the last hurdle in the development of our mass education in Ireland. It is all the more surprising when one considers the difficulties and costs associated with problems that might have been avoided by earlier pre-school intervention. Experienced teachers say they can identify a future drop-out at the age of six. If this is so, it is imperative that learning opportunities prior to this age are not missed.

There is no doubt there have been major improvements in recent years, including the establishment of the Office of the Minister for Children, a commitment to providing 50,000 extra child care places by 2010, the early child care supplement and the increase in paid maternity leave to 26 weeks. We must acknowledge also the tremendous work being carried out by the 33 child care committees throughout the country as well as the exemplary work being carried out by parents on the boards of such committees. Roscommon child care committee estimated that the voluntary work done by parents on the board of that committee is worth approximately €270,00 per year.

I called for this debate when I read an article in The Irish Times on 4 October outlining the findings of a European Commission report on availability, costs and Government spending on child care services in the EU. While the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Mr. Vladimír Spidla, said that most countries are not reaching the targets set under the Barcelona agenda, Ireland's record is particularly bleak. Next to the United Kingdom, Irish parents pay more for child care than parents in other European countries. The Irish Government spends less on child care and early education than any other country in the EU. A typical Irish two-parent family with two children under three years of age spends 29.2% of net income on child care costs. In contrast, parents in Finland spend only 7.2% of their income on child care.

We have built almost all our economic hopes and aspirations on investment in education. However, we are making a mistake as a society if we believe that by investing in fourth level we will sustain our economic and social well-being while neglecting the earlier levels. We all know that the first five years are the most important in every person's life.

The current recession affects everyone but some socioeconomic groups feel it more than others. It can be reasonably argued that one of the biggest sources of the divide between social groups is education. Now is the time for us to foster an equitable system of childhood development where all children, irrespective of circumstances, have the opportunity to develop to their full potential. I call on the Minister of State, Deputy Andrews, to come up with an innovative response to this issue. This is an opportunity for the Minister to make his mark. We need a comprehensive child care development programme such as the one-year preschool measure outlined by the National Economic and Social Forum. It is high time that early childhood care and education provision for all children became a political priority.