Joe Behan (Wicklow, Independent)
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Question 282: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will amend the early childhood care and education scheme to include children born in July and August 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28326/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I have responsibility for implementing the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, which was introduced in January this year.

The objective of the ECCE scheme is to provide appropriate age related activities and programmes in a formal setting to children in the year before they commence primary school. Targeting the pre-school year at a particular age cohort is fundamental to the scheme and requires the setting of minimum and maximum age limits within which children are eligible to participate. In setting these limits, account was taken of a number of factors including the differing enrolment policies of primary schools and the fact that the great majority of children commence primary school between the ages of 4 years and 6 months and 5 years and 6 months.

Children will qualify for the scheme where they are aged more than 3 years and 2 months and less than 4 years and 7 months at 1 September each year. The upper age limit does not apply where children are developmentally delayed and would benefit from participating in the pre-school year at a later age, or where a child cannot start primary school until a later date due to the enrolment policy of the local primary schools. In September 2010, children born between 2 February 2006 and 30 June 2007 will be eligible for a free pre-school year place. It is accepted that if parents choose to send their children to primary school from within two months of reaching their fourth birthday, they will not be able to benefit from the scheme.

It is necessary to the objectives of the ECCE scheme that appropriate age-related early learning activities are provided to children in their pre-school year. As in the case of any scheme introduced, cases will arise where individuals would rather that certain conditions did not apply. However, the scheme must remain sufficiently targeted to ensure the best delivery of pre-school education and, therefore, it is not proposed to extend the eligibility age range beyond that currently provided for.