The free pre-school year for all children, introduced in the recent Budget will see some 70,000 children be eligible to benefit from it each year.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil Galway City Central councillor John Connolly. He said all children aged between three years and three months and four years and six months at September 1 each year will be eligible. Children enrolled in playschools will receive free pre-school provision of three hours per day, five days each week over a 38 week year.
“This measure will help families who would not otherwise be able to afford pre-school education and it will also help support jobs in local childcare facilities,” said Cllr Connolly. “The scheme will be introduced from January of next year.”
Community and private pre-school services which meet the requirements of the scheme will be invited to apply for entry to the scheme and all notified pre-school services will be contacted by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs by the end of May.
