Second year of free preschool education will be of little real value

WHATEVER the new Cabinet dredges up to present as the buried treasure for which it is worth staying in Government, I hope it’s not a second year of free preschool education.

This is what is being bandied about by media commentators and there’s a ring of truth to it because it might satisfy both Labour’s need to look socially progressive and Fine Gael’s need to cut costs.

The rationale for the second year of free preschool was laid out in the Government’s recent document, Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, and a commitment was made to bring it in before 2020. Despite the popularity of the free preschool year, which is availed of by over 90% of preschoolers, I cannot see the case for bringing in the second year now.