Imelda Henry (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is always lovely to have the Minister in the House and reminds us how lucky we are to have a Department solely for children and youth affairs. Since the Minister was in the House last, we have had the children's referendum in respect of which I congratulate her on her hard work and success. When she replies, she might update the House on what has happened since the referendum was passed.

When she was first appointed and given responsibility for a full Department, the Minister said she would do her best to create a seamless new approach to policy development and integrated services for children with the ultimate objective of ensuring that children are cared for and protected and have the best possible start in life. She is almost two years in the position and has done a great deal of work on those matters. We must focus on what is best for children. All studies point to the importance of the best possible start and early intervention. Early intervention in children's lives and high-quality early childhood experiences are crucial to a child's emotional, cognitive and social development. It is regrettable that Ireland has been behind many countries in its early years sector. For too long, we have placed the emphasis solely on supporting parents rather than on providing supports for the development of the child. That era is at an end. We know now that children must come first. The Minister is observing that.

The Department has provided targeted support to parents to assist them with the cost of child care. This support has provided for three child-care support programmes: the early childhood care and education scheme, which is the free school year; the child-care community subvention scheme, which supports nearly 24,000 children in community creches; and the community employment and training scheme, which provides approximately 2,500 full-time equivalent child-care places. In 2012, total expenditure on these programmes was approximately ¤240 million. I am pleased that the Minister has committed to maintaining the universality of the preschool year, despite increased demand.

The Minister and her Department have done a great deal of work during the preparation of Ireland's first ever early years strategy which is expected to be completed this summer. We must always strive to provide a range of services which are affordable and accessible so that parents can better balance work and parental responsibilities. Child-care provision supports not only the participation of parents in the labour market but, as the Minister said, represents a direct job activation measure. It creates jobs. The preschool year currently supports approximately 7,000 child-care jobs. For every ten or 11 additional child-care places provided, a new job is created. It is all progress. We are moving in the right direction with speed and commitment. We have a committed and dedicated Minister who is determined to see change occur.

Recent years have seen welcome changes. The universal free preschool year scheme has a very high take-up rate. Some 95% of three to four year olds are participating to avail of a high quality service. It means children with special educational needs or who have suffered from neglect come into contact at an earlier age with child-care professionals. They are assessed earlier because their problems are noticed earlier and they get a better start. Simple matters such as a child getting spectacles when he or she is two or three years old rather than when he or she is five or six years old can make an enormous difference for the better. Early intervention will play a significant role in Ireland's future economic planning. It is increasingly accepted internationally that there are economic benefits accruing from investment in children's early years. Long-term studies from the USA, UK and France show returns to the economy of between three and ten times the original investment. In the studies, children who experience high-quality preschool provision have been shown to be higher achievers in education and employment. The benefits also transfer to the next generation. I am pleased we are carrying out our own research domestically. We are obtaining significant information which allows us to cost the services we need.

The Minister attended with the Taoiseach, the last British-Irish Council summit in Cardiff at which the success of Ireland's preschool year was discussed. Scottish Government representatives spoke about the innovative national parenting strategy which seeks to support parents to secure the best outcomes in respect of their children's development, health and well-being. In Northern Ireland, a study on the effective provision of preschool education demonstrated that irrespective of the level of disadvantage, children with little or no preschool experience show poorer cognitive and social behavioural outcomes at entry to school.

Children who had little or no preschool experience show poorer cognitive and social behaviour outcomes on entry to school at the end of year one than those who attended preschool. I wish the Minister luck and congratulate her on the wonderful work she has done.