James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that it will be taken very seriously. It is one of the serious issues for the interdepartmental group to examine. As I stated earlier, we have all the key actors involved in this group: the Department of Social Protection; the Department of Education and Skills; the Department of Health, which is leading it; the Department of Finance; and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It is critically important for all those Departments to be represented.

We need to ensure that the money allocated for child care is spent in the most effective way to achieve better outcomes for children. As other speakers have said, the money spent on this area yields the greatest return not just for the child but also for society generally.

The interdepartmental group will clarify and examine what we are trying to do, as well as finding the best way of achieving that. In addition, it will measure how those achievements are being met through current schemes and other Government expenditure. It will then come up with a list of options that are properly priced and analysed so that, if money becomes available, the Government can ensure it has the maximum impact when it makes its decision to put in extra funding, if that is the decision. As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I strongly feel we will find there is a need to look at how we have been spending money in this area and also to spend more on it.

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