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 before commencing primary school. Approximately 68,000 children availed of the free pre-school year in the 2012/2013 academic year and €175 million funding was made available to support the provision. It is expected that similar numbers will avail of the programme in the current year.

The provision of a second free pre-school year would require considerable additional funding, broadly in line with the cost of the current one-year provision. This additional funding is not currently available due to the financial constraints under which the Government is operating. In addition, all of the available evidence indicates that the quality of the pre-school provision is key to good outcomes for children. The Pre-School Quality Agenda, which is currently being progressed by my Department, involves a range of actions in key areas aimed at improving quality within early years services and enhancing the regulatory regime, is a key building block for any further extension of universal childcare provision.

Future developments relating to early years care and education are being considered as part of the preparation of the new National Early Years Strategy. The report of the Expert Advisory Group, "Right from the Start", sets out a wide range of recommendations for consideration and will contribute substantially to the final draft of the Early Years Strategy. One of the recommendations in the Report for consideration in the preparation of the Strategy is to extend the free pre-school provision, but only after achieving higher quality standards, more investment in training and mentoring, and professionalisation of the Early Years workforce.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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619. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the early childhood care and education scheme in respect of a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9134/14]

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 for each eligible child before commencing primary school. Approximately 68,000 children availed of the free pre-school year in the 2012/2013 academic year and €175 million funding was made available to support the provision. It is expected that similar numbers will avail of the programme in the current year.

Each qualifying child is entitled to one free pre-school year only. While the programme does include an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification for children with special needs and an option of splitting the provision over two years, by availing of the programme for 2 days a week in the first year and for 3 days a week in the second year, there is no provision for a second full year.

The child referred to by the Deputy was enrolled for the full free pre-school complement in the 2012/2013 academic year and the full funding was provided to the childcare provider on this basis. There are no circumstances where a second free pre-school year is provided under the programme and, therefore, no additional provision can be made for this child.