Written answers
Tuesday, 20 February 2024
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Early Childhood Care and Education
Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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508. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will permit an additional ECCE year to be sanctioned where a school (details supplied) is oversubscribed and cannot enrol a pupil in the coming academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7961/24]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides universal, free preschool to children in the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months.
The upper age limit of 5 years and 6 months for ECCE was set in consultation with the Department of Education and ensures that children transition into primary school with their peers.
In a limited number of circumstances, it is possible to apply for an exemption to the upper age limit of 5 years 6 months for finishing ECCE.
Current policy requires that any request for an overage exemption from ECCE eligibility must be supported by a letter from a medical specialist/social worker, not a GP/PHN, specifically recommending why an ECCE service would meet the child’s specific needs in a more appropriate way than a primary school.
It is important to note that the overage exemption for the ECCE programme was never intended as a mechanism to delay a child’s entry to primary school or to address any issue of non-availability of a school place. As such, it is not possible to offer an overage exemption in the absence of a primary school place.
If there is difficulty in securing a primary school place, the Educational Welfare Services of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, may be able to assist in this regard.
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