Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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199. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to introduce a compulsory second preschool year under the programme for Government; if parents will still be able to send their children to school at four years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14562/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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In relation to school starting age, 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 free preschool year. My colleague in Government, Minister Zappone, T.D., is responsible for the universal pre-school scheme delivered under the ECCE programme.

The introduction of this expanded provision for children from September 2016 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.