Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the options open to the parents of a child who will be 18 days above the cut-off limit of four years and ten months on 1 January 2010 for the new free preschool scheme; if the child will be able to avail of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26541/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the new scheme to provide a free Pre-School year under the early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, which will be implemented from January 2010. The ECCE provides for a free pre-school year which will benefit children in the key developmental period prior to commencing school. This will, normally, consist of 3 hours per day, 5 days per week over 38 weeks or 2 hours and 15 minutes per day, 5 days per week over 50 weeks. As the new scheme will be introduced from January next, the first full year will be from September 2010.

Participating children must, normally be aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months on 1 September of each year. In January 2010, children will be eligible if they are aged between 3 years 7 months and 4 years 10 months. Exceptions to the upper age limit will be allowed where children are assessed by the HSE to have special needs or it is necessary to accept children at an older age due to the enrolment policy of the local primary school. As eligibility is determined by reference to age children who are outside the age limit in January 2010, and to whom the exceptions do not apply, will not be eligible to participate in the scheme. I would like to point out to the Deputy that, with the exception of this year, the scheme will commence in September each year and the age range for eligibility will provide flexibility for parents to access the scheme at the most appropriate time for their child prior to commencing school.