David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1098. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if advice will be provided in relation to a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15618/21]

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 a limited number of circumstances, it is possible to apply for an overage exemption to the ECCE programme.  Applications are considered with regard to three guiding principles: 

- the child will not reach 6 years of age before beginning primary education as per the Educational Welfare Act, 2000,

- a specialist has recommended the additional time in ECCE; and

- the child has not already availed of the full two years of ECCE.

In the case of the children referred to by the Deputy, if they had an additional year of ECCE they would be 5 years and 10 months while in ECCE and would be 6 when starting primary school.

In deciding on applications for exemptions to the ECCE age requirements, my Department is guided by a review of the overage exemption process which was carried out by the National Disability Authority for my Department and the Department of Education in 2018. In their report they concluded that it is in the best interest of children with additional needs to transition to primary school with their age cohort. 

The overage exemption ECCE programme is not a mechanism to delay a child’s entry to primary school or to address any issue of non-availability of a school place.

Where a parent of a child with additional needs has concerns around supports for their child starting primary school they should contact the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for advice and support.