Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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787. To ask the Minister for Health the reason Meath disability service is due to cease funding for the preschool assistant service; if he will reconsider this decision taking into consideration the huge support this subsidy has provided for over ten years to parents of children with disabilities attending preschools; the support, if any, in place if this funding is to cease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33035/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, provides for a free pre-school year to eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. The objective of this scheme is to support early learning in a formal setting in advance of starting school. I understand that certain flexibilities are built into the scheme in an effort to accommodate children with special needs, such as an overage exemption, or waiver, for children with special needs who do not meet the age criteria and the option to avail of the free pre-school year over two years.

The Health Service Executive has no statutory obligation to provide assistant supports for children with special needs wishing to avail of the free pre-school year. As such, there is no national HSE policy in relation to the payment of a pre-school assistance "subsidy" as referred to by the Deputy. However, the HSE does work at local level and in partnership with the relevant disability service providers to address individual needs as they arise. In certain locations, where resources are available, this may involve the HSE funding the provision of supports to enable a child with a disability to attend a mainstream pre-school.

Within that context, I have asked the HSE to investigate the situation in Meath Disability Services and to respond directly to the Deputy.