The key challenge is making parents aware that they can now access free pre-school education, said Theresa Heeney, director of services at the National Crèche and Nurseries Association (NCNA).

• To avail of a free pre-school place in January 2010, children must have been born between 02/02/2005 and 30/06/2006.
• To avail of a free year of pre-school edcuation, starting in September 2010, children must have been born between 02/02/2006 and 30/06/2007.

Under the scheme, children will receive three hours' education per day, five days a week, over 38 weeks. However, if parents are working and children are at a crèche full-time or part-time, parents can avail of a second model which offers two hours and fifteen minutes preschool education five days a week, over 50 weeks.

In addition, pre-school providers can apply to offer the service three days a week for three hours and 45 minutes each day, over 38 weeks.

Sessional playschool services which are unable to open five days a week can apply to provide the pre-school year in the form of three hours 30 minutes a day, four days a week over 41 weeks.

It is expected that, in these straitened times, parents will soon start snapping up the free places for their pre-schoolers' education, which are being made available in a variety of models to suit varying circumstances.

"The places are there... just contact your local city or county childcare committee or else your local preschool to find out details," Theresa Heeney of NCNA said. (Source: Irish Examiner)