Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

For the purposes of the new part 7A of the Child Care Act 1991, the definition to be applied to preschool services is as follows: "any pre-school, play group, day nursery, crèche, day-care or other similar service which caters for pre-school children." The key element of this definition in respect of the proposed amendment is the inclusion of the phrase "any pre-school... or other similar service". The naíonraí are preschools and therefore clearly fall within the definition. I imagine the Senator will be satisfied that they are captured in the definition in place already. If we were to take into account methodologies such as language immersion, then, for consistency, we would reference issues including Montessori among others. However, they are all included in the definition. I assure Senator Leyden of that.