Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the rationale for introducing minimum limit of eight children participating in the early childhood care and education scheme in order for that school to provide this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51121/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. Approximately 65,700 children are availing of the ECCE programme in the current school year and €175.8 million has been provided to cover the cost of the programme.

Since the introduction of the programme, services have been expected to have a minimum enrolment of at least 8 eligible children to participate in the programme. This number is considered the minimum appropriate number for the fostering of pro-social behaviour and cognitive development. It is important that the pre-school classroom should provide stimulating, motivating activities that promote student involvement, where individual choices are encouraged and where there is an opportunity for children to engage with a diverse range of friends.

However, to allow for the flexible implementation of the programme a number of exceptions to this minimum requirement may be considered. For example, a service which is an appropriate setting for the pre-school year and has an enrolment of at least 8 children of whom at least 3 qualify for the programme and the remainder will qualify in the following year, can apply for entry to the programme. Smaller services which have an enrolment of not fewer than 5 children in their pre-school year can also apply for entry. In addition, in order to ensure that no child is denied the opportunity of availing of the free pre-school year, certain rural services not meeting the minimum requirement may participate where parents in the area would have no other convenient option.