Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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140. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will maintain the early start programme in all schools currently enrolled in the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12308/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Early Start programme was established in 1994, and is a one-year intervention to meet the needs of children aged between 3 years and 5 years who are at risk of not reaching their potential within the school system. It involves an educational programme to enhance overall development, help prevent school failure and offset the effects of social disadvantage. Parental involvement is one of the core elements of the programme in recognition of the parent/guardian as the prime educator of the child and to encourage the parent/guardian to become involved in his/her child's education.

Since the inception of Early Start, the early childhood education and care landscape has changed significantly with the introduction of the ECCE scheme in 2010, and the extension of the scheme to two years in 2018. The ECCE scheme is under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and officials of my Department and its agencies co-operate closely with that Department, particularly in relation to Síolta and Aistear, the national quality and curriculum frameworks for early years care and education.

While the ECCE scheme is the national universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children, the Early Start programme continues to run in 40 primary schools in designated areas of urban disadvantage, and in the 2020/21 school year there are 905 children enrolled.