John Boland Minister for Education and Skills proposes raising the national school entry age from 4 to 4 and a half years.
The proposal has received mixed reactions from parents. 'Today Tonight' reporter Caroline Erskine speaks to some mothers outside one Dublin National School.
Those against the proposal raise issues surrounding the cost and availability of childcare. Some mothers also feel that their children would be bored at home if they had to wait until they are four and a half or five to go to school.
Other mothers in favour of the proposal feel that age four is too young to start school. The young pupils asked for their opinion all say that they would prefer to be at school than at home.
This 'Today Tonight' report by Caroline Erskine was broadcast on 4 November 1981.
'Today Tonight' was an RTÉ current affairs programme with up-to-the-minute coverage of events at home and abroad. 'Today Tonight' was first broadcast on 6 October 1980 and ran for 12 years until 1992. Edited by Joe Mulholland, the original presenters included Barry Cowan, Brian Farrell and Olivia O'Leary.
