Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I greatly welcome the recently published early years sector profile report. I commend Pobal on its work. Some 3,900 services participated in the survey, making its findings all the more credible.

The report shows that more children than ever are participating in State-funded childcare schemes, almost twice as many as three years ago. It also shows that fees for a full-time place have increased by approximately 2% per week compared to an increase of over 4% the previous year.

I was particularly encouraged by some significant inclusion measurements such as the reported 8% increase in the number of Traveller and Roma children participating in early learning and care and the fact that more than 3,000 children with disabilities benefitted from targeted measures under the access and inclusion model.

I recognise that childcare fees represent a significant burden for many families. To address affordability and quality, we have secured a 117% increase in funding over the past four budgets, which has doubled the number of children in receipt of various forms of subsidisation. I have repeatedly stated that much more needs to be done over successive budgets to meet our aims fully in this area.

I have been unequivocal in my support for better pay and conditions for childcare workers and the need for the sector to bring forward a sectoral employment order. I have also introduced practical steps to improve the conditions of staff. These have included an increase to ECCE capitation of 7% intended to improve pay rates in the sector. Furthermore, by the end of 2019, my Department will have paid more than €55 million to childcare providers in recognition of the administrative role they play in delivering the current childcare schemes. Finally, First 5, a whole-of-Government ten year strategy for babies young children and their families that I launched in recent weeks sets out important commitments to further address the cost of childcare and to improve working conditions for staff.

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