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

Work on the advancement of the concept of a childcare agency is ongoing in my Department. As the Deputy will be aware, there was a Government decision in 2021 to proceed on that and consider the impact on various other settings in the sector. That is a big change and we are undertaking the groundwork with the various existing parts of the sector. A unit in my Department is focused on that project.

I would very much like to broaden out AIM past the two years of ECCE. AIM has been a very good programme. Obviously, there would be a financial impact, and I will look for the Deputy's support in ensuring we can achieve it. That, and the new strand of supporting the disadvantaged within early years, are two key matters I would like to advance in next year's Estimates.

As for staffing ratios, it is appropriate for babies and young children that there are high levels of staffing ratios. For the ECCE programme, it is 1:11. I do not think they are excessive in light of the young age of many of the charges.

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