David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his roles and responsibilities or any body under his aegis in relation to the development and provision of early years and preschool education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19385/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the vast majority of support for childcare, including pre-school education, is not provided by my Department, but is provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The principle vehicle for delivery of pre-school education is the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which was introduced in January 2010 and provides early learning in a formal setting to children in the year before they commence primary school.

My Department has funded two practice frameworks (Síolta and Aistear) to support the development of quality provision in pre-school services. Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education is a comprehensive set of practice guidelines for all settings where children aged birth to six years are present. Síolta's Quality Assurance Programme is being implemented on a field-test basis by Voluntary Child Care Organisations (VCOs) working in partnership with my Department and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

Aistear, the Curriculum Framework for Early Years was developed by the National council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) who have a remit under the 1998 Education Act to provide advice on curriculum in early childhood. The primary curriculum is currently being reviewed by the NCCA in the context of the forthcoming National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. The focus of the review will be on how best to enhance children's learning in these areas, provide a clearer delineation of the learning outcomes required, and integrate the learning experiences from Aistear into the infant cycle.

My Department continues to fund the Early Start intervention programme which is a targeted intervention for children at risk of educational disadvantage. The intervention involves an educational programme to enhance overall development, help prevent school failure and offset the effects of social disadvantage. It also funds the Rutland Street Project which was first established in 1969 and is a pre-school attached to the Rutland Street primary school in Dublin. For children under the age of 5, the National Council for Special Education, through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), liaises with Assessment Officers in the HSE in respect of the assessment of need process under the 2005 Disability Act, 2005. My Department's Circular 0020/2011, which is available on the website and issued to all primary schools earlier this year, clarifies the roles of the NCSE and the HSE in relation to the assessment of need process as well as the role of the school in this regard.

My Department will continue to work in partnership with other departments and agencies to complement and add value to existing Early Years programmes.