Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 120: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of children that have benefited each year from the early start programme since its introduction; the amount it costs annually; the type of supports provided to children participating in this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38508/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Early Start Pre-School Programme was established in 1994/95 in 40 primary schools in designated areas of urban disadvantage in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Drogheda and Dundalk. Each pre-school class caters for a total of 30 children - 15 in the morning and 15 in the afternoon. The 55 classes now in place can cater for a total of 1,650 children. Each pre-school class has a teacher and a child care worker.

The programme is a one-year intervention scheme to meet the needs of 3 and 4 year olds who are at risk of not reaching their potential within the school system. The project involves an educational programme to enhance overall development, help prevent school failure and offset the effects of social disadvantage. Parental involvement is one of the core elements of the programme in recognition of the parent/guardian as the prime educator of the child and to encourage the parent/guardian to become involved in their child's education.

The enrolments and costs in providing the Early Start programme are set out below. The teachers involved in Early Start units are assigned by the individual school and my Department does not collect individual data on the teachers employed in the Early Start programme. Specific salary costs can't therefore be provided. The salary costs have been estimated based on the numbers employed, with reference to the salary scales prevailing each year. The estimated cost of the programme including salary costs is was €6.1m for the 2009/2010 school year.