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

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:

"recognises the importance of:— quality early years interventions in supporting the emergence of best outcomes for young children, including in relation to school-readiness and cognitive and behavioural development; and

— affordable and accessible childcare to support low and middle income working families and to incentivise labour market activation;notes:— that an estimated €260 million will be expended in 2014 by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on early years programmes;

— the provision of substantial child income supports for 600,000 families through child benefit and for a further 42,000 low-paid working families through family income supplement, totalling €2.2 billion per annum;

— the importance of Government support for the universal pre-school year in maintaining the early years sector in the face of the greatest economic collapse in the country's history;

— that the annual cost of childcare to parents is reduced by over €2,370 when a child is participating in the free pre-school year;

— the increased investment by Government to preserve the universality of the free pre-school year despite increased costs arising from increased demand;

— the findings from the "Growing Up in Ireland" study indicating that "one in four parents who availed of the free pre-school year said they would not have been able to send their child to pre-school had it not been for the scheme" and that "this rose to more than one in three among more disadvantaged families";

— the burden which childcare costs can place on low and middle income working families;agrees:— on the ongoing need to support the achievement of high quality standards in early years services;

— that the Government's focus on jobs and growth as the best means of recovering living standards will in turn further contribute to takeup of childcare;

— on the need to implement such quality improvements as a critical precursor to any future expansion in universal childcare provision, including the possible introduction of a second free pre-school year if resources allow; and

— that child income supports play a key role in sharing the costs of child rearing with families, including childcare costs;welcomes the implementation of the Pre-School Quality Agenda including:— the publication of pre-school inspection reports, with 2,530 reports now available online;

— the ongoing recruitment by the Child and Family Agency of early years inspectors to fill current vacancies;

— the allocation of €0.5 million in 2014 to allow the recruitment of further early years inspectors and to strengthen the national inspection services;

— the allocation of €2.5 million in 2014 to support the establishment of a new National Quality Support Service;

— the enactment, through the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, of amendments to the Child Care Act 1991 allowing for the introduction of statutory registration of early years services, the introduction of pre-prosecution enforcement functions for early years inspectors and the increase in penalties on foot of convictions at District Court level;

— the introduction of a new system of statutory registration of early years services commencing in 2014;

— the announced increase in qualification requirements for early years staff from September 2014; and

— the allocation of additional funding in 2013, 2014 and 2015 to support the training and upskilling of early years staff; and supports:

— the development in 2014 of an Early Years Strategy which will set out an overall approach to the improvement of quality in the early years sector;

— the carrying out during 2014 of a review of the aims of the targeted childcare schemes with a view to considering how any future expansion of the schemes, as resources allow, should be targeted to align with Government policy;

— the continued provision of in-work supports for low-income working families and assistance for unemployed parents to access employment, training or education programmes; and

— continued co-operation between the Departments of Social Protection and Children and Youth Affairs in relation to childcare and family income supports."

I am very pleased to open this debate on behalf of the Government and to move the amendment on child care. The estimated total population of 0-19 year olds in Ireland was 1.28 million in 2013, which represents an increase of 11.7% since 2001. The estimated population of 0-4 year olds increased by 33.86% over the period. At a time when other western countries are experiencing reducing birth rates, Ireland's child population is growing. In 2010, we had the highest number of births ever recorded. These are our future citizens, workforce, innovators, artists, creators, carers, leaders and sporting heroes.

The Government's recently published medium-term economic strategy statement rightly recognises that "our increasing child and youth population is a significant resource for our country" and that "ensuring the best possible outcomes for this group is therefore an important element in our future economic planning." That is a very important statement and one that is not recognised or made often enough. Of course, as Deputies who have contributed to this debate so far have said, this means starting early. Since coming to office, I have consistently highlighted the importance of investing and supporting quality interventions in the early years of children's lives. I am glad to say there is an increasing body of Irish data on this issue. We are very data-rich about Irish children now where previously we relied on data from the US and elsewhere. We have invested heavily in and now have our own research so we have very detailed information on precisely how Irish children are doing. This evidence increasingly quantifies the benefits of early years interventions in terms of improving children's outcomes in areas of school-readiness and cognitive and behavioural development. The Growing Up in Ireland studies are quite fascinating in terms of what they tell us about how well children can do in school if one intervenes early and how their cognitive and emotional development is improved by that early intervention. That is why I established the early years strategy and asked the group to look at all of the initiatives we need to take across a range of Departments in respect of early years. The group published its report recently which was entitled Right from the Start.

At the same time, economists have begun to quantify both the return to the State and society from investment in the early years interventions, as well as the potential costs to taxpayers associated with unaddressed problems in early childhood. Deputies Browne and Ó Cuív made the point that if we do not invest early, we are storing up problems at a later stage. We can avoid many of those problems and costs if we do the right thing at an early enough stage. It is very clear that in Ireland, we have much to gain from early intervention.

I welcome this discussion. We have had discussions on child care in Topical Issue debates and frequently in the committee. It is good to have a discussion in the Dáil of early intervention, the range of child care supports we have in Ireland, the direction we are going in and the direction in which I would like to see us moving. That is what I intend to address tonight.

If we want to improve literacy and numeracy, which is critical, we must start early. If we want to disrupt the crisis of childhood obesity - a quarter of our three year olds are overweight or obese - we must start early. Put simply, early intervention works and the early years matter. There has been surprisingly little focus on the early years from a policy point of view in Ireland given the importance of those years. This is why this Government has protected the free preschool year. Deputies have commented on that and I will discuss it further. This is why this Government, along with Atlantic Philanthropies, is investing €30 million in the new area based childhood, ABC, programme supporting early interventions in 13 communities around the country and supporting, hopefully, in the longer term the development of at least 12 other areas where we are currently offering mentoring and support so that the same kind of services can be developed in those areas as we progress. Based on the work that is already being done on the early intervention programmes, we know what successful early intervention means and the kind of services one needs to give parents and very young children who have difficulties. We have the research from those three pilot projects in the Dublin area. We have very detailed research about what has actually worked. This is one of the reasons why we have established the new Child and Family Agency with an enhanced focus on prevention, early intervention and family support. This is why this Government is bringing in free GP care for children aged five and under. I recently attended and spoke at a conference in Brussels on health inequalities. It is very clear that the sort of universalism which that proposal encompasses is the right way to go in terms of getting the services to young children at an early stage and making sure one can address whatever problems they may have. GPs are in a unique position to do that.

Late last year, I published the report of the expert advisory group on the early years strategy, which is appropriately named Right from the Start. By setting out such a comprehensive range of recommendations for the continuum of service and support for Ireland's youngest children and their families from early childhood health, to supporting parents - we have many parenting programmes throughout the country for which there is huge demand and in which there is huge interest - to ensuring quality in early years provision, this report brings a much needed focus to areas of policy which for far too long were undervalued. I understand that the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, of which Deputy Troy is a member, is to meet with members of the expert advisory group on 6 March 2014 for a discussion of its recommendations and I look forward to this feedback from the committee as my Department works to finalise the early years strategy.

In addition to supporting quality early interventions for childhood development, I am very conscious of the importance of child care in supporting parents engaged in employment, education and training. Many parents entrust their children to the care of relatives, friends or neighbours. However, many parents rely on early years services which currently provide day care services. Nearly 1,000 of these are community-based services and the remainder are commercially operated. Each of them faces different demands. Through both the community childcare subvention, CCS, and the childcare education and training support, CETS, programmes, which I will discuss further, my Department provides child care subvention to low-income working families, on which the motion moved by Deputy Troy focuses, and to those engaged in education, training and community employment.

It is also important in the context of this debate to refer to the very significant level of expenditure which this Government has managed to maintain in direct cash payment to children and families which this year is expected to amount to €2.2 billion.

It is interesting to examine the Mangan report and compare the direct income paid to families in Ireland with the amounts paid in other European countries. It can be argued that some of those countries have other services, but it is striking that Ireland is fourth out of 27 countries in terms of direct cash payments to parents. This is where we have invested much of our support to families in recent years. This funding will provide for child benefit payments to 600,000 families and family income supplement, FIS, payments to a further 42,000 low-paid working families. This helps share the cost to families of child rearing, including child care.

None the less, the Government fully accepts that we still have major issues with the affordability and accessibility of child care for working families. This is due to a variety of factors, including the focus on direct cash payments instead of subsidised care, which is the approach taken by other countries. Deputy Browne mentioned the Nordic model, under which the state subsidises the development of accessible, affordable child care to a significant degree. Historically, both parents in those states have worked outside the home for a longer period than has been the case in Ireland. Their system is also targeted somewhat, with parents paying some of the cost. It is a different model than ours, but we must base our model's development on the initiatives that we have already taken and I am unsure as to whether the full Nordic model is what Irish parents want. Rather, they would like flexibility and choice in the child care to which they have access.

As Deputy Troy indicated, the average weekly cost of a day care service is approximately €165. While this is a significant burden on low-income working parents, it is interesting to note that our information suggests that child care costs have reduced considerably. In 2008, for example, the average weekly cost was closer to €230. However, I agree that improving access to affordable, quality preschool and child care services is an objective that all Deputies share. Tonight's debate presents a valuable opportunity to reflect on this objective and on how we might go about addressing the inherent challenges it presents, particularly in the current climate of borrowings of €1 billion per month and people's calls for more resources. As the economy improves and resources become available, this is an important sector for us to develop and support.

A major challenge is that of supporting and ensuring the achievement of quality standards in preschool and child care services. Delivering quality improvements remains a prerequisite for any future expansion of preschool and child care support. Funding poses a considerable challenge. In 2014, my Department will spend €260 million on preschool and child care programmes. This represents a small fraction of the total of what is spent on direct cash payments to families.

I acknowledge that the funding available in the child care Estimates was once much higher, as Deputy Ó Cuív mentioned. In 2008, however, Deputy Troy's party, Fianna Fáil, abolished the early child care supplement while in government. It was worth €1,100 per year to parents of children aged under five years. In doing so, Fianna Fáil gave back to the Exchequer more than two thirds of the annual €480 million budget. Even a fraction of that money would have gone a long way towards extending free or subsidised child care provision, not to mention the fact that not one cent was re­invested in quality supports or new inspectors. This is the reality. Almost €300 million fell away from the child care sector.

The funding of €260 million available to me this year goes a long way towards funding a range of preschool and child care supports, some of which I have briefly referenced. For the benefit of the House, I will outline in more detail the current supports being provided by my Department as well as the measures being implemented and funded to improve quality. I will discuss how this relates to future possible developments aimed at improving access to affordable, quality preschool and child care services.

Through the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme, all children have access to one free year of quality early years services. More that 68,000 preschool children benefit from this, representing 95% of all qualifying children at an annual cost of €175 million. The programme is delivered through more than 4,300 services and consists of three hours of early learning provision per day for five days each week over the course of 38 weeks. Funds permitting, one would like to see this programme developed in terms of the number of weeks and a second year. Findings from the "Growing Up in Ireland" longitudinal study prove the success of the current year in aiding young children's readiness for, and transition to, primary school. Further findings from "Growing Up in Ireland" indicate that one in four parents who availed of the free preschool year claimed that he or she would not have been able to send his or her child to preschool had it not been for the scheme and that this figure increased to more than one in three among more disadvantaged families. I agree with Deputy Troy that this programme has been a success. The Government has succeeded in maintaining the preschool year as a universal and free programme despite the increased costs arising from the growth in the number of children in recent years.

I have consistently outlined my position that I would support the introduction of a second universal preschool year. This proposal was endorsed in the recent report of the expert advisory group on the early years strategy. The introduction of a second year would benefit children's educational and developmental outcomes and prove significantly beneficial for children with special needs who attend our preschools. Some incorrect figures have been provided, but the majority of children with disabilities participate in the preschool year. Some do so over the course of two years because that suits them best. The key problem is the provision of supports in terms of personal care. We are working with the HSE and the Departments of Health and Education and Skills to try to improve the situation, given its importance. I take the points made by a number of Deputies in this regard.

A second preschool year would have economic benefits for families and the State. It would represent approximately €2,500 worth of free child care to parents and likely generate 4,000 to 5,000 new positions, mostly part-time. The current year already supports 7,000 jobs. For every ten or 11 additional child care places we provide, we will create one new job. This is a clear example of how investment in preschool child care services not only supports parents' labour force participation, but in itself represents a direct source of employment. The OECD also commented on the economic benefits of introducing a second year.

The introduction of a second preschool year would require considerable additional funding, however. I hope that this proposal is one that the Government can continue to work towards as our public finances recover. I will certainly do so.

In the meantime, delivering improvements in preschool quality standards and staff qualifications is a prerequisite for any further extension of universal child care provision, including any proposal to introduce a second free preschool year.

We are making progress on that issue of quality and standards.

I acknowledge the great efforts of front-line professionals and the high standards to which many of them work. The sector needs to be assured that all services will be supported and regulated to ensure high standards across the board. While there are some examples of poor practice, we must work with those services because quality is a must. Last year I outlined an eight point preschool quality agenda. I had to start from scratch with much of this work. There had been a huge focus on the bricks and mortar of child care facilities. I reopened the child care capital programme - previously closed by Fianna Fáil - allocating nearly €8.3million in 2012 and 2013. None the less, my focus is very much on supporting the people who make up the staff of these facilities and to improve quality standards. In the past eight months we have seen unprecedented progress in the implementation of the preschool quality agenda.

I have moved to address the serious issue of vacancies in the early years inspectorate in some parts of the country. Five of these posts are being filled and arrangements are under way to increase further the number of inspectors in place. In addition, the Child and Family Agency is expected to spend a further €1.1 million in 2014 to recruit more early years inspectors to strengthen the national inspection system. This expenditure will be met from increased registration fees, which will be payable by services as part of the new regulatory environment, and from additional funding of €500,000, which I have secured for this purpose. As part of the arrangements for establishing the new agency, I had been working for some time with the children and family services of the HSE - now the Child and Family Agency - to standardise and improve the resources and work practices of the early years inspectorate.

In January, Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991, which governs the regulation of early years services, was replaced with new legislative provisions brought in as part of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. Deputies who took part in the debate on that Bill will be aware that it included the introduction of a new registration system for early years services, as well as new powers which can be used by the inspectors before the stage of prosecution. Inspectors will now be able to impose improvement orders on services which, if not complied with, can result in de-registration of the service. In addition, the fine which can be imposed on a service on foot of a successful prosecution has been increased to the maximum fine permissible.

There are also new qualification criteria for staff working in the service. There has been a great take-up by the sector of the training that is available, leading to increased qualifications, including the minimum qualifications we are seeking. To provide for these and other changes, I will shortly be introducing new regulations, accompanied by national quality standards. These will provide the basis against which services will be inspected and reported on. The intention is to support services to work towards higher standards of quality while providing clearer criteria against which to measure and report on their existing levels of compliance.

We now have a more transparent situation. More than 2,500 reports have been published online. These reports were carried out over the years and the new inspections are regularly being put online. It is also my intention to begin work later this year on new regulations for afterschool care, an area which, up to now, has been unregulated. I would encourage parents to ask to see reports from the services which they are using, if they are not online. We will also work later this year on new regulations for afterschool care, something Deputy Troy mentioned and which is certainly needed. It has gone unregulated up to now. We will also be introducing the new national quality support service for early years services. An additional funding provision of €2.5 million has been allocated in 2014 to provide for that, which is a landmark development in this area. My Department and I are continuing consultation ahead of making decisions on the structure of this new service. The new service will have a new practice manual, which will bring the key principles of Síolta and Aistear together in a more user-friendly way. This is being developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

I believe what I have outlined represents a comprehensive response from my Department and this Government to addressing quality standards in early years services, an issue which was not adequately tackled up to now. Despite the constraints on public spending, I have secured an additional €4.5 million in 2014 to support the sector in implementing these quality child care improvement measures. This investment in the sector and the reforms I have overseen will provide a strong foundation for the expansion of preschool provision and child care supports, including a hoped-for second free preschool year and the development of targeted child care supports, to which I will now turn.

The early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme is a universal programme. I recognise the need to target additional resources to disadvantaged and low-income parents in order to help them with the cost of their child care. The two programmes which do that are the community childcare subvention, CCS, scheme, and the childcare education and training support, CETS scheme. Together these schemes have a total funding allocation of €70 million for 2014 and are being used throughout the country. The CCS scheme is available in 950 community-based early years services throughout the State and 25,000 children avail of subsidised child care places. Parents qualify for the higher rate of subsidy of €95 per week where they hold a medical card or qualify for family income supplement. Parents qualify for a lower rate of subsidy of €50 per week where they hold a GP visit card. In addition, parents who are seeking employment can avail of the €50 per week subsidy for part-time child care. This is an important aid to parents.

The CETS scheme is available for parents who are returning to work, education or training. Some 2,500 children avail of child care places which are subsidised at a rate of €145 per week. Parents qualify if they attend certain training our educational courses and are required to contribute a maximum of €25 per week towards the cost of the place. As the total cost which a service is permitted to charge for one of these places is capped at €170 per week, this scheme is open to both not-for-profit and for-profit services. Deputy Troy mentioned that in his motion. The community child care scheme is not, and that is the appropriate decision.

I have also been working with the Department of Social Protection to test the demand for and effectiveness of new child care schemes targeting certain categories of clients of that Department. This year, in collaboration with the Department of Social Protection, we will provide an additional 1,800 subsidised places for community employment, CE, workers under the CETS scheme. An allocation of €9.5 million is being provided in 2014 for these schemes. It is clear that we recognise the need to support parents who are having difficulty with the cost of child care and that these schemes operate throughout the country and are available to many parents.

As has been my approach with the free preschool year, sectoral reforms and improvements need to be made before new initiatives can be rolled out. I will be adopting the same approach to the child care schemes which are being implemented by my Department. The Government is committing significant resources to the CCS and CETS schemes. However, my Department and I are to begin a review and evaluation of the two schemes as they currently exist with a view to considering how best to structure future child care support to support low income working families and to incentivise labour market activation, which could eventually be expanded to more families as resources allow.

I acknowledge the recent report by Indecon, commissioned by Donegal County Childcare Committee, which looked at many measures and which are addressed in the Fianna Fáil motion.

As I indicated when I launched the report, I will examine the findings and recommendations from Indecon when conducting the review of the two departmental schemes to which I referred.

The State has invested heavily in the capital development of Ireland's preschool and child care services and it is important that we sustain this infrastructure to meet the needs of children and their parents. The introduction of the ECCE programme and continued investment in child care schemes, which reduce the cost of child care for parents, have helped to sustain the preschool and child care sector, including the jobs of more than 20,000 people which it employs. Many of those employed in the sector have emphasised to me how important it has been in this difficult economic period that the child care sector has been sustained and is viable. I am aware, however, of the broader challenges facing the sector and the needs of those working in it, including issues related to career development and salaries.

In the past six years, in particular in the period from 2008 until 2010, demand for child care declined dramatically as take-up of child care places was affected by reductions in disposable income, the downturn in employment and emigration.

I hope the position I have outlined with respect to the preparation of Ireland's first ever early years strategy, the implementation of the preschool quality agenda, the review I have announced of targeted supports and the laying of building blocks for future expansion in preschool and child care supports will cumulatively provide a sustainable future for the sector, support parents and families and, most important, improve outcomes for our youngest children.

In light of the considerable investment that the Government continues to make in preschool and child care services, I am pleased to propose the Government's amendment.

See this speech in context