Ms Mary McLoughlin:

Deputy Kelleher raised the issue of childminders and I am sure the expert advisory group's representatives will wish to comment. However, the Minister has made the point a number of times that it is a challenge. Ten years ago, arrangements were put in place whereby a tax relief and training were available for those who were childminders and who registered or were notified. This did not attract many childminders. As the Minister has stated a number of times, there is a cultural issue in this regard. There is a need to ensure quality when people are childminding in order that parents can have confidence that the person to whom they are going is a suitable person to mind children. However, as to how one regulates that within what traditionally has been a highly informal sector is a challenge for the Department. While we must address it, I do not believe we have come to the solution as yet.

Both Deputies Kelleher and Catherine Byrne raised the issue of cost to families. To be fair, there is no great difference between the cost to families of community and private child care. The issue is that the cost to parents is high, and this came up at the discussion about the Indecon report. The costs of child care in Ireland are actually very low because we pay our staff very low wages. The issue is that in countries in which child care is cheaper, that is due to the level of Government subvention. Consequently, it is only fair to the sector to make the point that it is not that its costs are particularly high.

On the issue of universal versus targeted child care, obviously, in times of scarce resources, one is more likely to target services towards people who are particularly in need of them. However, there is much evidence that children from disadvantaged backgrounds benefit more from universal services. Consequently, the challenge for us as policy makers pertains to what is the best thing to do if a block of funding is available. At present, we have one year of part-time universal service and then we have targeted schemes. If only small amounts of money are available, obviously one would probably increase the targeted schemes. However, it is known that in the longer term the benefit is from universal services, despite the fact that this means that some people who perhaps do not need the financial support will receive it. According to the research, I think the overall outcome probably is that it is better for children.