Fine Gael TD John O’Mahony has said that he believes the free pre-school scheme should be extended to cover the summer months when working parents have to juggle both work and care of their children.
“The free pre-school scheme has been a wonderful success and many children all over the country are benefiting from it,” Dep O’Mahony said. “My view would be that it would be an even greater success if it were extended to cover the months of July and August. In most cases, the pre-schools operate the same calendar as the primary schools but, for working families, getting childcare for that period is a major juggling exercise. I believe there would be merit in the Department of Health and Children considering an extension to the scheme.”
