Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will start with Deputy Sherlock's questions on child care programmes and staff turnover, which is an issue I am well aware of and concerned about. In the budget for 2018, there were a couple of aspects of negotiations for the child care programme which I hoped would assist in ensuring increased resources for providers. My ultimate hope is those resources could be shared with workers, although as the Deputy is aware I cannot make those decisions because I am not the employer.

The increase of €20 million in the early years programme, in addition to the repurposing of moneys from 2017 to enable us to do some extra significant things for 2018, will, it is to be hoped, have an impact in terms of the moneys which ultimately get to the providers and workers. This is by way of response to the question on turnover. Some turnover is due to difficulties with pay and conditions. For example, from September 2018 we will have two full years of the ECCE scheme which is why it was so important for me to increase the ECCE capitation from September 2018 because it will mean more money for providers.

We also continue to provide €18 million to providers in recognition of the administrative burden in supporting various child care schemes.

The Deputy also asked that we would maintain our investment in ongoing continuing professional development. I will be meeting the early years forum, which I established, later today to discuss staffing. I have indicated that in my negotiations into 2019 I have an eye on quality which is a code word for the workforce and supporting it to provide that quality. We have contracted an independent review of costs. That work will be completed in plenty of time for me to have the information to negotiate for 2019. We will see for the first time whether we are investing enough in costs and the examination of pay and conditions of the workforce. We are substantially assisting services which have been in crisis, some of which has to do with staff. We are also considering continuing professional development. The learner funds have been going on for several years, and the Síolta and Aistear mentors in training are in place.