90 kids fail in pre-school applications

The equivalent figures for Limavady and Strabane were 15 and 11 respectively.

Minister of Education Caitrona Ruane gave details of the unsuccessful applications at the Stormont Assembly.

She advised: "The pre-school education expansion programme aims to provide a free place for all children in their immediate pre-school year. Therefore, it is most appropriate to provide the information in relation to those children."

She provided details on the number of children in their immediate pre-school year who were unsuccessful at the end of the admissions processes which concluded on April 30.

She commented: "In order to ensure, as far as possible, that the needs of these children were met, I allocated up to 1.3 million to cover the cost of providing an extra 1200 pre-school places in the voluntary/private sector.

"Many children who were unplaced at the conclusion of the admissions process will have secured a pre-school place before the start of the school year in September."