Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I established and selected such an expert group which represents a wide area. It includes people from local family resource centres, Barnardos, the DIT, child care committees and Childminding Ireland. I brought the group together in order to hear and take note of their expert views and experiences. The views of its members will certainly be taken on board. The reason for having an expert group on childhood early years is to hear its views on what should be our policy in this regard. The work has been broader than what was envisaged at the beginning of the process. I am very satisfied that the group is working very hard on the report, as are my own departmental staff, and the work is progressing satisfactorily. The input of the expert group will be part and parcel of the report to be published. This will be the first ever early years strategy.

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