Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 207: To ask the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 127 and 128 of 27 May 2009, if in view of the fact that most children commence school at around five years of age, the reason the cut off age for this scheme is not five years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27170/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As the Deputy will be aware I have responsibility for the implementation of the new scheme to provide a free Pre-School year of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) which will be implemented in January 2010.

Children will be eligible to avail of the scheme if they are aged between three years three months and four years six months on 1 September each year. Those entering the scheme in January 2010 will be eligible if they are aged between three years seven months and four years ten months at that time. 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 the Deputy notes, most but not all children commence primary school at around five years of age. The provision of a 15 month age range for eligibility is designed to give flexibility to parents to access the scheme at the most appropriate time for their children prior to commencing school and the majority of children who participate in the scheme would be expected to commence primary school between the age of four years three months and five years six months.