Madam, – The ECCE is a scheme designed to give children access to a free pre-school year of appropriate programme-based activities in the year before they start primary school. Children with special needs were to benefit from this scheme for two years.
However, this second year has been cut and the Minister has decided to spread out one year’s benefit over two years by giving a child three days a week in one year and two days in year two. To avail of the two-year option, the child’s guardian will have to provide suitable evidence that the child has special needs. When I hear Ministers talking about their own entitlements while cutting the services of handicapped children, it really does appear to me that some people are more equal than others. – Yours, etc,