Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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74. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the details of investment in any targeted early childhood education programmes for disadvantaged children during each of the past four years. [11344/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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My Department's main intervention in early years education is the Early Start programme. This programme was established in the mid-1990s in 40 primary schools in designated areas of urban disadvantage in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Drogheda and Dundalk. It is a one year intervention scheme to meet the needs of children from disadvantaged backgrounds who are at risk of not reaching their potential within the school system. The estimated cost of the programme, including salary costs, is in excess of €6 million per year.

My Department is also working with the D/CYA on the National Early Years Access Initiative and the Area-Based Childhood (ABC) Programme.