Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the Early Start programme will be expanded or extended in 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14266/04]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The early start pre-school project was established in 40 primary schools in designated areas of urban disadvantage in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Drogheda and Dundalk during 1994 and 1995. The aims of early start are to expose young children to an educational programme which would enhance their overall development, prevent school failure and offset the effects of social disadvantage.

The approach taken in early start is to establish groups of 15 pupils in existing primary schools in disadvantaged areas, with each class being run by a primary school teacher and a qualified child care worker. While the early start curriculum emphasises the development of cognitive and language skills, due regard is also had to personal and social development. The early start service has not been expanded since 1995. In relation to future development of early childhood education provision for disadvantaged children, my Department, as part of a detailed review of educational disadvantage programmes, is currently exploring how such provision should best be delivered in the future. I am particularly concerned to ensure that any future actions by my Department in this area are based on a collaborative approach with other Departments involved in the overall early childhood care and education, ECCE, sector. Meeting the overall objective of providing the best possible service to the communities and children involved requires that any educational provision by my Department takes account of child care measures under the remit of other Departments.

The future development of the early start pre-school project is being considered as part of this process and I will make an announcement in this regard as soon as the detailed review of all initiatives to tackle educational disadvantage has been completed.