Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will go back briefly to the early years because Deputy Charlie McConalogue raised the issue again. The issue around the quality of the curriculum and the investigation into all the courses will take a matter of months. The advisory group will consider a number of matters on an ongoing basis. That is not a set period. Aistear and Síolta as the Deputy said are the two programmes for which the Department of Education and Skills is responsible in terms of the curriculum. I intend to appoint a small number of inspectors, not inspectors who will come in and close down but will assist in terms of the educational quality of the early years education. I am delighted that both members raised the issue and that they are interested in this area because it is an area in which I want to make a difference as Minister for Education and Skills. I will be happy to come back and deal with early years specifically in the committee.

The other issue raised by most members was around voluntary contributions, cuts, cutbacks and so on. I cannot let Deputy Charlie McConalogue's point go without saying the reason all those cutbacks happened in the past three or four years-----