Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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168. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding child care; if, in recognition of increasing education regulation and standards, a strategy will be put in place for an examination of increasing pay scales and progression; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6396/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Childcare services in this country are provided by private commercial or community childcare providers. To support parents who are accessing childcare services through these services, my Department allocates funding in the region of €260 million annually to provide for the implementation of a number of childcare support programmes. The support programmes enable more than 100,000 to avail of quality childcare and education services each year.

There is currently a focus on improving the quality of early childhood care and education services and a number of reforms are being introduced by my Department under the Early Years Quality Agenda. These reforms include a requirement for all staff working directly with children to hold minimum childcare qualifications. Funding totalling €3 million is made available in 2014/2015 to support childcare staff who are seeking to meet the new qualification requirements.

I am aware of the concerns of childcare professionals in relation to levels of remuneration in the childcare sector. I acknowledge the commitment of childcare staff to the provision of childcare services and I have indicated that when resources become available I would welcome further investment in the sector. I have met and will be meeting again the representatives of childcare providers to discuss a range of issues relating to childcare provision and I will give careful consideration to their views on future investment in the sector.

To ensure that all the benefits of childcare investments are fully realised, future public investment in childcare must be evidence-based and strategically coordinated. I am establishing a cross-Departmental group to look at the provision right across the 0 to 6 age group as well as to consider the after-school needs of older school-going children. It is crucial that we develop a coherent whole-of-Government approach to investment in childcare services.This new group will include representatives of the Departments of Education and Skills, Social Protection, Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Public Expenditure and Reform, Finance and the Department of the Taoiseach and will be led and supported by my Department.