Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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567. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the outcome of an application for ECCE overage exemptions by persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4270/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the September start date and a child cannot turn 5 years and 6 months of age during the course of the ECCE programme year.

In certain circumstances an overage exemption is granted to children with additional needs subject to an application to my Department.

Overage exemptions for the ECCE programme provided by my Department are governed by three guiding principles:

- A specialist has recommended the additional time in ECCE

- The child not reaching 6 years of age before beginning primary education as per the Educational Welfare Act, 2000, and

- If a child has already availed of the full two years of ECCE, they will not be eligible for a further year.

Where an application does not fulfill the above criteria the application is declined.

This application was refused as, if granted, the children would have been over six in their first year of primary school. In considering applications for overage exemptions my Department is guided by expert advice that children should progress to primary school with their age cohort.

Supports are available for school aged children with additional needs, further information on which can be found on the website of the National Council for Special Education, .

Guidance is also available to parents at a local level via City / County Childcare Committees and contact details are available on: www.myccc.ie