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

I share the Deputy's commitment to trusting parents and I hope that is implicit as a principle underneath all we are doing. He asked about establishing effectively a State model of provision. It is something we investigated significantly in the process of preparing for the First 5 strategy. Ultimately, we made a decision that in terms of the kind of model we have now, we would be able to achieve the objectives the Deputy and I share regarding quality, affordability and sustainability for the professionals if we shift something of our model as distinct from going to a State model, which would flow better in the context of what we are doing. The vision of that kind of model is described in the strategy. My Department will establish a team early in the new year bringing together international as well as national experts to work through how we can develop a better, more effective public funding model for the provision of community not-for-profit and for-profit services for children.

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