Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is welcome. I have often spoken on this matter. Childminders are invaluable. Theirs is the service I used due to the nature of my current work and when I previously worked for a trade union, where the hours are so uncertain. Many people are in that situation, including those doing shift work or not doing the traditional 9 to 5 hours. There are so many roles like that where childminders are invaluable. It would be great to bring them into the system. Will that have to go through the whole legislative process or will it be done through a simple amendment? Is that legislation envisaged for this year? What would the difference be? There is obviously significant regulation in this area. Nobody has a difficulty with that for centre-based childcare but regulation would have to be fair to both childminders and centre-based childcare in order that there are not two totally different sets of regulations, even though I recognise childminding is different, as we all do. In order that it is fair, is it envisaged that the subsidy will be the same for both types of childcare? Has that been looked at yet?

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