Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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77. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to clarify the commitment outlined in the programme for Government in respect of raising the school starting age to five years old; if this will apply to all students; when he will implement this measure; the consultation that has taken place with the relevant stakeholders on this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11037/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The compulsory school starting age is 6 years of age and the Rules for National Schools provide that a child must be at least 4 years of age before being enrolled in a National School.

The Programme for Government gives a commitment to target investment in children's early years and in this regard, one of the measures refers to a second preschool year which will help prepare young children for starting school and which will mean that most children will be 5 years of age when they start school.

This commitment will be considered in the context of the next budget.