Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The national childcare scheme provides financial supports to parents to help reduce the cost of early learning and childcare. Only Tusla-registered providers are eligible to participate in the scheme. The limitation of public funding schemes to Tusla-registered providers helps to ensure that public funding is provided where there is assurance of the quality of provision.

All childminders are now eligible to register with Tusla. This follows the commencement of legislation on 30 September 2024 which removes the legal exemption of childminders from registration and ensures parents who use Tusla-registered childminders are eligible for subsidies under the national childcare scheme. The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 set out a pathway for the extension of registration to childminders. A key objective of the national action plan for childminding is to enable parents who use childminders to benefit from State subsidies through the national childcare scheme.

Childminding-specific regulations were initially developed by a regulation and inspection advisory group, whose stakeholder membership included childminders and Childminding Ireland. The regulations are proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting in which childminders work. In finalising the regulations, substantial changes were made in response to feedback in the public consultation last year.

The national action plan commits to a review of the initial implementation of the childminding-specific regulations before 2028. The Department will undertake this review, which will include consultation with childminders and other stakeholders, during the three-year transition period which runs to 2027.

In order to access national childcare scheme subsidies, childminders must register with Tusla and then enter into contract to provide the scheme. In order to register with Tusla, a childminder is required to undertake pre-registration training, as well as meeting a number of other regulatory requirements and making an application to Tusla.

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