Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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355. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is satisfied with the current level of Government investment in child care; his views that this investment is one of the lowest in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7700/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My Department supports the provision of early childhood care and education by providing funding in the region of €260 million annually to provide for three child care support programmes that make child care services more affordable. This funding ensures that more than 100,000 children have access to quality child care each year. This high level of support, which is in addition to the support provided to all parents in the form of Child Benefit, has been maintained despite the difficult budgetary situation that prevailed in recent years.

I wish to point out to the Deputy that, while the annual spend on child care related programmes has been in the region of 0.2 per cent of GDP in recent years, this expenditure does not include expenditure under other programmes or by other Departments and therefore does not represent the full extent of State expenditure. Ireland spends over 0.4% of GDP relative to the OECD average of 0.7%.

It is clear that accessibility, affordability and high quality child care can play a critical role in achieving a number of Government priorities, including improving educational outcomes for children, reducing poverty and increasing parents' participation in the labour market. To ensure that all the benefits of child care investments are fully realised, future public investment in child care must be evidence-based and strategically coordinated. I am establishing an Inter-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 child care services.

This new Group will include representatives of the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Finance and the Department of the Taoiseach and will be led and supported by my Department. I have asked that the work of this Group be carried out within a relatively short time frame and I expect that the Group will be in a position to report to me in the Summer.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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356. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if consideration will be given to re-instating the early childcare supplement funding levels of 2009 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7701/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Early Childcare Supplement (ECS), which in 2008 represented an investment of €480 million, was discontinued by the previous Government with effect from the end of December 2009. Part of the resources made available to support the ECS was redirected to provide for the free preschool provision, introduced under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme.

The ECCE programme represents an annual investment of almost €175 million and provides free preschool care and education to approximately 68,000 children each year. This funding has been maintained despite the difficult budgetary position that has prevailed over the last four years. The introduction of a second preschool year would require considerable additional funding, broadly in line with the cost of the current one-year provision and this additional funding is not presently available due to the financial constraints under which the Government is operating.

I will be looking at the question of appropriate supports for child care in a wider context. It is crucial that we develop a coherent whole-of-Government approach to investment in child care services. To ensure that all the benefits of our full range of child care investments are fully realised, future public investment in child care must be evidence-based and strategically coordinated. I have established an Inter-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. I have asked the Group to report to me by the Summer.