Extension of deadline for Enrolment in Free Preschool Year
Thursday, 14 January 2010 13:05
Minister for Finance welcomes extension of deadline for Enrolment in Free Preschool Year
The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan TD, has joined with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Barry Andrews, TD, in urging parents with children eligible for the free Pre-School year who have yet to register with their local pre-school service or County/City Childcare Committee to do so immediately.
The free Pre-School year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is a scheme designed to give children access to a free Pre-School year of appropriate programme-based activities in the year before they start primary school. The provision of a free Pre-School year to all children, irrespective of income or circumstance, will enhance the social and educational development of the children.
Children born between 2 February 2005 and 30 June 2006, an age range of almost 17 months, are eligible to participate in the ECCE scheme.
The original date for participating services to make an electronic return with the children’s details was January 22nd. Recognising the recent adverse weather conditions, which have most likely delayed the start of the ECCE scheme for most services, the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs has decided to extend this date to January 29th. This will give parents an extra week to register with service providers, which they are asked to do by January 20th.
More details about the extension of the deadline for enrolment and further information on the ECCE scheme itself are available on the website of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs – www.omc.gov.ie