Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the discussions she has had or her plans with the Department of Education and Science to introduce State funded nationwide pre-schooling for all children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8892/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The introduction of a State funded, nationwide pre-school system for all children is a matter on which I have not had specific discussions with the Minister for Education and Science and, as far as I am aware, there are no proposals at present to introduce such a system.

As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Child Care Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), which will invest €575 million over 5 years. Capital funding under the NCIP is available to support the building and refurbishment of preschools and grant aid is also available to support the operational costs of community-based preschools with a focus on disadvantage, under the recently introduced NCIP Community Child care Subvention Scheme.

My Office was also responsible for the making of the revised Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 2006 which came into effect in September 2007 with improved standards of regulation for this area. The Government also supports parents with their child care costs through Child Benefit and the Early Child care Supplement which are universal payments to all parents. The latter payment is the responsibility of my Office and it is expected to give rise to expenditure of some €500 million in 2008.