Reilly shelves plan for extra free year at pre-school

The Coalition has been accused of cancelling promises to parents and children with special needs after it said a second free pre-school year will not be introduced until at least 2020.

Children’s Minister James Reilly confirmed the move, which the Government previously pledged to introduce by 2015, had been significantly delayed due to the €175m annual price tag involved.

Responding to a parliamentary question from Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon, Mr Reilly said that while the Coalition had intended to extend free pre-school help for a second year by 2015, this will not now be possible.

Citing the ongoing “financial constraints” facing the country, he said the plan will now be delayed until at least 2020 — leading to concerns it may never happen.

“The introduction of a second pre-school year would require considerable additional funding, broadly in line with the cost of the current one-year provision which is €175m per annum,” said Mr Reilly.

“The additional funding is not currently available due to the financial constraints under which the Government is operating.”

While the five-year delay to the plan is likely to save the State almost €900m, it has been heavily criticised by Independent senator and children’s rights activist Jillian van Turnhout.

The former chief executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance said while funding restraints are understandable, parents who may be trying to return to work as well as children with special needs will be the ones to suffer.

“This does appear absolutely to be a rowback,” she said. “There is an urgent need for a second pre-school year, particularly for children with special needs.

“At the very least, this should be rolled out on a phased basis. I would be concerned that it will now be pushed beyond the mid-term of the next government.”

The plan to extend free pre-schooling by a second year was widely welcomed when it was announced at the start of the Government’s term in office, with then education minister Ruairi Quinn backing its introduction as a vital tool to help struggling families.

However, critics have repeatedly questioned whether it would be introduced on schedule and if the policy was in place to help families or shore up Coalition support.

Responding to Government plans to effectively shelve the pre-school move for half a decade, Mr Heydon said it is essential any obstacles in the way of parents’ return to work if they wish to are removed as soon as possible, both for their own good and that of the wider economy.

“For me, this is an absolute priority. There is a huge and significant financial burden on parents with young children and they expect to see that burden lifted,” he said.

Speaking in May 2013, then children’s minister and current Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said financial issues should not prevent improvements in pre-school help. “The current climate of fiscal constraint should not deter us from having this important debate given the increasing body of evidence highlighting the economic and societal returns on investments in early intervention,” she said.

“Early intervention must become part of our national psyche and investing in children’s early years should be an economic imperative.”