Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank our contributors. They are welcome to our third session on the challenges facing this critical sector. I congratulate the Association of Childhood Professionals on the fantastic work done in recent months in bringing this issue to the fore, including the public rally outside Leinster House in February as well as the regional rallies some weeks ago. This has certainly helped our cause in highlighting the issues facing this critical sector.

I am pleased that a large portion of this morning's contributions focused on children with educational or additional needs. Unfortunately, although there have been many positive developments in the sector in recent years, not least the free preschool year, the current situation is that children with special educational needs can be left out or refused a service because the required supports are not available. There is an inconsistent approach throughout the country.

Before our meeting last week we got a memorandum from the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Reilly, with information on yet another interdepartmental group to examine how best to support early school years. I am somewhat cynical at this stage. We are four and half years in and here we have another group sitting down to talk about how to support the needs of the sector. There seems to be almost a battle between the various Departments over which will actually take control of the issue. The question is whether it will be the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Health or the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. I thought the Department of Children and Youth Affairs was established to take the lead and be the main co-ordinator on issues such as this.

We have a report already. In 2010, the Department of Education and Skills launched the framework for action for the inclusion of children with special educational needs in early education. For the life of me, I cannot understand the need for a further report. I welcome the fact that the deputation spoke at length on this issue and highlighted it.

This is a crucial area which, unfortunately, has been neglected for some years.

On improving the free preschool year scheme, while everyone acknowledges that this is a very good programme, some issues remain, not least the recent reduction in the capitation payment, the requirement for independent and community service providers to pay staff for 42 weeks when the State only pays them for 38 weeks each year to provide the scheme, and the lack of recognition for non-contact time, staff who are off sick and so forth. The scheme must be improved with a view to introducing a second preschool year. However, only when the first preschool year is operating properly should a second preschool year be introduced.

I was pleased to hear Ms McCormilla express the view that community-managed services need additional help and support. I sit on the board of Ballynacargy community child care committee. Many parents and others who join the boards of child care committees do not realise that this entails meeting a series of requirements and responsibilities. Ms McCormilla is correct that training should be provided on governance issues and the types of support that the boards of community child care groups must provide.

Community groups in general are facing a major challenge as a result of the abolition of community employment schemes. Perhaps the witnesses know better than I do how community employment workers will be replaced in the community sector, of which their organisations are a critical component. Without workers from community employment schemes, many community groups will close.

I have highlighted previously the issue of registration for childminders. When legislation was being discussed in the Dáil and Seanad, the Fianna Fáil Party tabled amendments seeking to ensure that all childminders are required to obtain Garda clearance. Unfortunately, the amendments were not accepted. I am interested in hearing the witnesses' opinions on registration for childminders. The position in Northern Ireland was noted. While I am aware of differences of opinion on the introduction of tax credits for parents, I understand their introduction in Northern Ireland provided an incentive for many people to register as childminders, because parents could not avail of the credit unless the childminder was tax-compliant and registered with the Northern Ireland equivalent of Tusla. I would welcome the witnesses' opinion on that matter.

The workforce development plan has been in place since 2010 but has not been implemented, which is unfortunate. The current inspection system is not fit for purpose, as I have stated previously, owing to the duplication of inspections and the number of inspections required. A new inspection system should be established, with one inspector inspecting all aspects of a child care service, rather than having several inspectors visit the same facility.

The new registration process was placed on a legislative footing in January 2014. I am not sure whether it or the new regulations on registration have been rolled out. The regulations were promised in the aftermath of the Prime Time exposé "A Breach of Trust".

On commercial rates, if it is a requirement that inspectors from the Department of Education and Skills inspect a facility to have it designated as an educational premises, it follows that it must also be designated an educational facility in respect of commercial rates. The Department cannot have it both ways. These facilities provide early childhood care and education and should be exempted from a requirement to pay rates. Such an exemption would help them to remain sustainable.