Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 102: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has received the report of the National Economic and Social Forum on early childhood care and education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26488/05]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Economic and Social Forum, NESF, report on early childhood care and education was presented to the Government on 20 September 2005. The Government welcomes the publication of this report, which focuses on developing a long-term vision for the provision of integrated early years services for children from birth to six years of age.

The NESF has a mandate from Government to monitor and analyse measures and programmes concerned with achieving equality and social inclusion and to facilitate dialogue and discussion on these issues. The Government is committed to continuing to develop relevant policies to support child care and early education and the NESF provides a vital forum for discussion and debate by politicians and many interest groupings in our society. The report provides a welcome and valuable input into policy development in the future in this area.

A high level working group on early childhood care and education was established by the Cabinet committee on children to consider these important issues. The terms of reference of the group, chaired by the National Children's Office, were "to recommend an integrated national policy on child care and early education which will result in improved co-ordination at national and local level and which incorporates a child centred approach to service delivery." The Government asked the high level group on early childhood care and education to consider the recommendations of the NESF report as part of its deliberations. The NESF report has contributed to the preparation of an options paper prepared by the group for the Cabinet committee on children earlier this month and which is currently under consideration.