Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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87. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the work carried out to date on the establishment of the childcare development agency; and if he will set out the milestones remaining to its full establishment. [19054/24]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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We move on to Question No. 87 in the name of Deputy Bruton but being taken by Deputy Stanton.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I am here on behalf of Deputy Bruton, who sends his apologies. He wants to ask the Minister if he will outline the work carried out to date on the establishment of the childcare development agency and if he will set out the milestones remaining to its full establishment.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Significant progress has been made in advancing plans for a dedicated State agency for early learning and care. The programme for Government contained a commitment to advance that. It is envisaged this agency will undertake some functions currently carried out by Pobal early years, including the Better Start programme, the 30 city and county childcare committees, as well as operational functions currently carried out directly in my Department.

A programme oversight board has been established for the agency and is tasked with overseeing the analysis and design phase of the programme. This board will ensure proposals for the new agency are based on offering the best possible services to children and their families, educators and practitioners, and service providers while also providing value for money.

My Department is engaging with independent consultants who have been contracted to carry out a phased research, analysis and stakeholder engagement to inform the design of the agency. This work, which is expected to take 18 to 24 months, is focused on information gathering, analysis and an initial design phase to take place throughout 2024 and 2025. A second phase relates to a more in-depth design and costing exercise to take place from 2025 and is scheduled to take six to nine months. The work will culminate in a costed agency design, including the remit, organisational structure and service delivery model, which will be presented to Government for approval.

My Department is committed to ongoing consultation with all stakeholders throughout the design process. That consultation is very important. There are many players in this area doing really good work. The introduction of an agency would be a significant change in this landscape. That is why it is important we are talking to the stakeholders. A series of stakeholder consultation sessions have already been held with key stakeholders and valuable input has been received as part of a collaborative co-design process to develop a vision, mission and values for the agency. A report has been compiled from these consultations and has been circulated to the principal stakeholders. Further stakeholder consultations are scheduled for May and consultations will continue throughout the lifetime of this programme.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his response and I congratulate him on the work done to date. As noted by the Indecon operating model review in 2021, the sector is characterised by a complex landscape of stakeholders and functions which has led to fragmentation, duplication and inefficiencies. The proposal to establish a single agency is very welcome. Will the Minister be bringing legislation to the House and, if so, when? What will be the key functions of the agency? Has he given any consideration to establishing a broad-based interim board soon to advance the work of his public servant group?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I outlined a number of steps in the process. We are in the key second phase at the moment, involving an in-depth costing.

When I originally brought proposals to Cabinet, we had a notional set-up cost of approximately €14 million and a notional operating cost per year of about €50 million. We are talking significant money, obviously. The Deputy knows me. I believe any money invested in our early years is money well spent but it is State taxpayers' money so we have to make the value-for-money case for the creation of an agency. That is important. We have this programme board. It is overseeing the consultation and that research piece as regards bringing forward the best case for it. It is important that this second phase is undertaken. Once that second phase is undertaken across this year and early into next year, I will be in a better position to talk about when we will bring forward clear legislation in respect of advancing the agency.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Again, I congratulate the Minister on the work but it strikes me it is taking an awfully long time. It could be another two years, maybe longer, before we see this in place. I asked the Minister if he would establish an interim board in order that it would be up and running and ready to go, rather than establishing a board which would then have to spend more time getting to know the brief. Is there any way of advancing it or bringing it forward? Why does it take so long to actually get this up and running, seeing as it is such an important agency? The Indecon review was completed in 2021, which is quite a while ago, and yet now we are talking about another 18 or 24 months and maybe another six months onto that. It seems like a long time. Is there any way of speeding it up?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy. I could speak at length about the various things we have done in the early years sector. When I became Minister, my priorities were cutting the cost of childcare for parents, ensuring childcare professionals are better paid and improving the sustainability of childcare providers. We have done a significant amount in all three of those areas, while recognising there are still challenges. However, making the improvements there took a lot of time. I will be honest with the Deputy, I asked my team in the Department in the early years to prioritise those three areas. When I talk to parents now, they say their challenge is capacity and finding spaces, so that is where I see the big challenge now. We have a team working on this. It is important and something we want to advance but there are very immediate challenges for parents, childcare providers and childcare professionals. I believe we picked the right priorities while at the same time advancing those longer-term reforms as well.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Anois, tógaimid ceist Uimh. 88, arís in ainm an Teachta Bruton ach á thógáil ag an Teachta Stanton.