Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 624: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the basis for his decision to cease funding to the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education; the way in which the decision was arrived at; the evidence, reports or review that the decision was based on; if he will make these public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32565/08]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education was established in 2002 for an initial three year period following the publication of the White Paper on Early Childhood Education. The Centre's remit included the development of a National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and the development of targeted interventions for pre-school children who are educationally disadvantaged or who have special needs. The Centre was sanctioned for a further three year period in 2005.

The establishment of the Centre and its sanctioning for a further three year period pre-dated the Government decision in December 2005 to set up the Office of the Minister for Children. The Office of the Minister for Children, now the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, brings together policy makers from different Government Departments to ensure consistency in policy-making and policy implementation for children. Following on from the CECDE's development of the National Quality Framework, I consider that the advancement of quality provision in Early Childhood Education is now at an implementation phase and that this implementation phase should be managed by a central Government Department. That was the basis of the decision to cease funding of the CECDE. To progress quality provision in Early Childhood Education, I hope that two contract posts will be established within my Department.