Free special needs pre-schooling plan [IrishTimes]
- Published: 07 July 2011
THE GOVERNMENT has said it will consider providing two years of free pre-schooling for children with special needs under its early childcare and education scheme.
Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald told an Oireachtas committee yesterday she wanted to extend the scheme from one year to two years for children with special needs. However, she said no Government decision had yet been made on the proposal, which would have financial implications.
“Developmentally, many children would benefit from it,” she told The Irish Times after her first appearance before the Oireachtas health committee. “The kind of needs they have would become clearer in the course of the second year and they would be better prepared for primary school.”
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