Minister's offer of childcare place

Dear sir - It is with great amusement that I send this letter having received some correspondence from the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The letter advised me that my child had 'qualified' for a free pre-school year which, they helpfully told me, starts in two weeks' time. This pre-school is also an 'invaluable step' in preparing my dear child for primary school. Let's just imagine I hadn't enrolled my child for pre-school and primary school when she was barely six months old and imagine a scenario where I take my letter from the Minister's Office and hot foot it down to my nearest pre-school and ask to enroll my child. Then imagine the howls of laughter from any teacher at the idea of placing a child two weeks before term starts. I enrolled my child when she was six months old, not because I am overly forward planning - but because I had to. The high numbers of children and low numbers of pre-school/school places meant it was a necessity. Now, perhaps Navan is unique and maybe there is a place out there within our fair borders where, with two weeks notice, you can enroll a child for pre-school. How can the minister be so out of touch that this letter was sent out two weeks before term starts? What planet is he on where he assumes it's just a matter of rocking up to the pre-school of your choice and enrolling your child? Perhaps I am being too harsh, after all he does say that if I can't find a place for my child, my city/county childcare committee will help. I am sure they are delighted with that mention… now I may just ring them up and present them with that very same scenario and see what happens! Yours, Aislinn Sheehan, via email.