Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his policy on the development of preschool education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11023/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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My Department's policy on the development of preschool education is to raise the quality of provision through workforce development and through effective practice. This is in line with the 2011 EU Commission's Communication COM (2011) 66 on 'Providing all our children with the best start for the world of tomorrow'. In terms of quality improvement, my Department has funded two practice frameworks – Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education which addresses all dimension of practice where children aged 0-6 are present and Aistear, the Curriculum Framework for Early Years (NCCA 2009). My Department also published a Workforce Development Plan for the Sector in December 2010.