Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the special needs assistant support entitlement for preschool children with special needs in County Louth; the way in which this compares with such entitlement in the Dublin area; and if she will intervene in the case of a child (details supplied) in County Louth in order to improve the supports available to them. [40571/09]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 250: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the need for some children with special needs to have more than one year's preschooling and their entitlement under the early childhood care and education scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40572/09]

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.

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. As a result, 1 full week place in the mainstream service could cater for 2 or more children with special needs on a pro-rata basis. Where appropriate, children with special needs attending a mainstream 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.