Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not disagree with what the Deputy said. There have been developments to improve the infrastructure of facilities. I expect there will be more announcements and more capital funding available within a short time.

My Department has introduced measures to support training for child care staff to enable them to upskill to meet the increased qualification requirements and €3 million is being made available over the next two years for this initiative.

Following the successful completion of the pilot joint inspection of several early childhood care and education services, my Department is working with the inspection service of the Department of Education and Skills to consider how that service might support education-focussed inspections of services providing the free preschool year, and good progress is being made in the development of proposals in this regard.

I agree with the Deputy and will report progress to him as we improve the quality of education and child care particularly in the earliest years and we will continue to support the development of quality child care services with a particular focus on the educational component, as requested by the Deputy.

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