Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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626. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if changes to the childcare system have been considered (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21981/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My Department currently provides approximately €260 million annually to early years and school-age care and education services. This funding is directed towards a number of programmes, which aim to improve the accessibility, affordability and quality of early years and school-age care and education.

To ensure that all the benefits of this (and future) investment are fully realised, it must be evidence-based and strategically coordinated. It is critically important that any investment is designed to achieve the best outcomes for children and their parents. Accordingly, I have established an Inter-Departmental Group to develop a coherent whole-of-Government approach to investment in early years and school-age care and education. Membership of the Group includes representation from right across Government, including the Departments of Education and Skills, Jobs and Innovation, Justice and Equality, Social Protection and as well as the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform, Finance and an Taoiseach.

To inform its work, the Group has already solicited the views of key stakeholders, interested parties and the general public through a number of consultative processes. Its work is also being informed by existing policy commitments and by research and evidence of best practice, both nationally and internationally. The Inter-Departmental Group will submit its report to Government by end June 2015.

The development of Ireland’s first Early Years Strategy is also being progressed in my Department. The objective of this Strategy is to create an innovative and dynamic blueprint for the future development of Ireland’s early years sector and a coherent approach to seeking to improve the lives of children from birth to 6 years. It is my intention that it will cover a range of issues affecting children in their first years of life as well as identifying best practice in other jurisdictions, such as those referred to by the Deputy. I have signalled my intention to conduct focused consultations with relevant parties across the early childhood care and education sector before concluding my own deliberations on this Strategy. I am also mindful of the importance of other work which is being undertaken in parallel in respect of the future investment priorities in respect of childcare.