Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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263. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of persons (details supplied) with additional needs registered with early years services. [21166/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), which is a new programme of supports to enable children with a disability to access and fully participate in the free pre-school programme, was introduced in June 2016 and is administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department. AIM supports children with disabilities to attend mainstream pre-school where they can learn and socialise with their peers. The degree of support provided depends on the needs of the child availing of the free pre-school programme, in the context of the pre-school service registered with my Department.

Figures provided by Pobal indicate that, at 2 May 2017, a total of 2,065 children with a disability are benefiting from support under AIM.