Mary White (Fianna Fail)

Since 2005, I have been lobbying, as a Fianna Fáil Senator, for free early childhood education for every three year old. It is a pleasure to note, therefore, that from next January onwards every child will be entitled to a free preschool place in a private or community crèche or Montessori school. The owners of such facilities, whether private or public, will receive €64.50 per week for every child who attends.

All available international evidence shows that after the first four years of life, it is no longer possible to achieve the same pace of emotional and intellectual development in children. The returns of early childhood education on human and personal development cannot be measured while the returns to the economy are gargantuan.

I have spoken previously in the House about the importance of early childhood education to each individual child. From an economic point of view, Ireland will not be able to compete if we do not educate our children from birth onwards. Education for children from the age of birth until three years will have to be addressed in future. We will not compete if our children's brains, emotions and physical development are not cherished from birth.

We frequently discuss competitiveness, research and development. Early childhood development is good for the economy, although I approach this issue primarily from the perspective of the potential development of each human being and that to which every child born in this country is entitled.