Dr. Anne-Marie Brooks:

I will come in for the other questions. With regard to costs and funding, the national action plan sets out indicative costs and initial cost estimates for some of the infrastructural developments that need to be put in place to support the implementation of the plan. There are some initial estimates on regulation and inspection, training support, quality supports and supports to enhance research and data. Again, they are all initial estimates. We are in phase 1 of a process. We will have to revisit these estimates based on new data and emerging evidence. We are looking to update these cost estimates to assess the level and the size and scale of funding needed to enhance the infrastructure that must be put in place to support implementation of the national action plan.

Separately and in parallel, a review is under way in the Department of the operating model for the early learning care and school childcare sector. This is being overseen by an oversight group.

We have engaged independent consultants to support us in that work which involves reviewing the current operating model for early learning and care and school-age childcare, having regard to reforms and actions committed to in the First 5 strategy over the next number of years and how the operating model may need to be reformed and enhanced such that we can deliver on those actions and commitments. The oversight group and the consultants are aware of the national action plan and other reforms that are committed to in the First 5 strategy and will take account of that in the context of their recommendations around enhancements or changes to the operating system for the broader sector. That work may also identify other supports or functions needed.

On the pace of implementation and whether we are being too ambitious, a balance has been struck in that we are not moving too slowly given the importance of opening up access to the national childcare scheme for parents who choose childminding and addressing their childcare costs, but also not moving too quickly to risk driving childminders out and to give us the time necessary to develop the supports that are needed to make this plan a success. We believe we have struck a good balance in terms of the time we have set out. We have left flexibility between phases to allow us to readjust and to revisit the phases and the timing of implementation. The steering group, which will meet next week, will report progress to the Minister annually. There is a commitment to revisit the timelines in regard to implementation of the plan over the next eight years.