Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Before I start reading my reply, I remind the Deputy that one of the first things I said when I was appointed as Minister was that I considered the area of early childhood care and education to be very important. I have put a number of measures in place in my capacity as the Minister responsible for the educational content of early childhood provision. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has overall responsibility for the early years sector.

The care and education of babies and young children are inextricably linked elements in a child's holistic development. The education provided by preschool child care professionals is an important element but not the only element of their work. To support the diversity of pedagogical approaches in the early years sector, my Department has overseen the development of a curriculum framework for early childhood education which acts as a scaffold for all of the different approaches, including the Montessori approach. As a further support, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has developed an online resource which distils the key elements of Síolta and Aistear. This will be available next week.

Most, if not all, Montessori-trained practitioners are employed in private preschool education services. Their terms and conditions of employment are not set by the State. The question of how the State should invest in early years education is taken very seriously by the Government. My colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, recently established an interdepartmental group to identify the optimum means of investing in the sector. I have established an early years advisory group. I have received funding for a small number of educationally based inspectors, the purpose of whom will be to assist with the educational content of early years provision.

I have also established an examination of the various qualifications people receive to work under the early years programme.

See this speech in context