Fine Gael has pledged to provide a year of funded pre-school education for all children.
The latest announcement, by Olwyn Enright, Fine Gael spokeswoman on education and science, includes proposals for the
- provision of pre-school - directly or through subsidy - for approximately 60,000 children per annum
- two-thirds subsidy for all children to cover the costs of pre-school education for one year, and an up-to-100 per cent subsidy for children who need it;
- An expansion of State provided pre-school places concentrating on areas of educational disadvantage; and
- a register of pre-school providers.
Ms Enright said the pre-school proposals would "incur a level of current expenditure of €162 million per annum.
"Funding pre-school education in this way will allow us to target State provision towards high-risk groups and sectors of society, whilst at the same time empowering all parents to choose between differing pre-school options for their child using direct subsidies," she added.