Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I had a good meeting with Childminding Ireland three weeks ago, and earlier this week I wrote to it on foot of that meeting. Not only did I write to it but I also asked it to distribute a letter from me across childminders in its network setting out what we are doing with the childminding action plan and what the next steps are. I know, even from a couple of emails I got when the announcement was made last year, that there is some fear among childminders as to what we are seeking to do.

I think everyone agrees that this is a positive step. We are looking to create childminder-specific regulations, different from the regulatory structure for centre-based childcare. There will be an open registration process to encourage childminders to sign up and to register. We know that this is new and different and will be a change for many of them. Once they register, however, the big plus in all this, as well as being able to assure quality, is to give parents the benefit of the cuts to fees. Parents who use childminders will get the same benefit of the cuts we achieved for parents who use centre-based childcare from 1 January of this year. I think that is something we all wish to achieve.

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