Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 638: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the fundamental importance placed on the development of literacy and numeracy in children's earliest years in the national literacy and numeracy strategy 2011-2020, the portion of the €10 million allocated to commence the implementation of actions in the NLNS will be assigned specifically to the early childhood sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11359/12]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 639: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the central role of Aistear, the early childhood curriculum framework in supporting early literacy and numeracy highlighted in the national literacy and numeracy strategy 2011-2020, the plans in place for providing a national training and implementation strategy for the roll-out of Aistear to the early childhood sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11360/12]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 643: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the significant time and resources afforded to developing Aistear, Ireland's first national curriculum framework for children zero to six years in 2009, the plans in place for a national training roll-out to the early childhood sector similar to that of the primary school sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11364/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 638, 639 and 643 together.

The primary school sector is a homogenous sector with a workforce holding the same qualifications and teaching the same primary school curriculum. The model of implementation for Aistear in the primary school system is to establish a network of Aistear tutors who are themselves teachers and would deliver training in Aistear to other teachers. My Department is in discussion with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) on what model should be used for the Early Years sector. The Early Years sector is a diverse sector that operates across a wide range of curricular philosophical bases, e.g., Montessori, Steiner, High/Scope.

As a preparatory step, the NCCA has been developing resources on Aistear for use in the Early Years sector and are working with Early Childhood Ireland on developing exemplars of good practice.e National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy was formally launched by my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, on 8th July 2011. Officials from my Department worked closely with the Department of Education and Skills in the development of the Strategy, and I welcome the recognition in the Strategy of the role of early childhood care and education. The free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which is implemented by my Department is the key connection point between the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Education and Skills. The introduction of universal pre-school provision brought with it a requirement that early years practitioners would achieve a qualification at a minimum of Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) by June 2012. My Department is committed to incentivising the early years sector to acquire additional skills in oral language competency development for young children once this minimum requirement is met. The ECCE programme will continue to be the catalyst for implementing the Workforce Development Plan through the Department of Education and Skills officials who are co-located within my Department.