Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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219. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will examine opening up internships in the quality control area for childcare especially for those with a level 8 BA early childhood care and education degree or similar; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45457/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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In responding to the Deputy I am taking quality control areas to mean both the HSE Early Years Inspectorate and the new quality support service to support childcare providers in improving the quality of their services which I announced in Budget 2014.

The purpose of an internship is to give graduates an opportunity to gain work experience in their chosen field. It is important to ensure that interns get quality placements in order for them to benefit from the experience. While in principle, subject to budgetary limitations, there would be no difficulty in encouraging interns within both of the areas mentioned, this will have to wait in the case of the Inspectorate until the very radical reforms that are ongoing are completed, and in the case of the mentoring service, until it has been developed, established and bedded down. It is unlikely that either service will be in a position to take on interns during 2014, but the matter can be kept under review.