Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a child (details supplied) in Dublin 15 is excluded from the early childhood and education scheme; the reason for same; the options available to the child to ensure that they receive appropriate education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30898/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which is being introduced in January 2010. Services participating in the scheme in January 2010 will accept enrolments over the coming months. The ECCE scheme is a general one and services participating will be required to make reasonable accommodation for children with special needs in accordance with the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004. However, the scheme takes account of a number of issues to accommodate children with special needs.

While the age range in which children will qualify for the scheme is, generally, between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months on 1 September each year, exceptions are allowed where a child has been assessed by the HSE as having a special need which will delay his or her entry to primary school. In such cases, the pre-school year relevant to such children will be taken as their qualifying year. Additionally, the general requirement that a child would be expected to attend 4 or 5 days each week will not apply to children with special needs where a shorter week would be more appropriate to their needs.

Many specialist pre-school services arrange for children attending their services to also attend a mainstream service for 1, 2, or 3 days a week. In such cases, a single place in a mainstream service may cater for 2 or more children over the course of the week. While pro-rata arrangements will not generally be allowed to continue beyond September 2010, they will be allowed to continue for children with special needs. Where appropriate, children with special needs and attending a pre-school service on a pro-rata basis, may be permitted to avail of a second free pre-school year e.g. attending 2 days per week in the first year and 3 days per week in the second. Should additional flexibility in the arrangements for the scheme be required by specialist pre-school services for children with special needs, these will also be considered.