Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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395. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 132 of 24 February 2015 if the new child care regulations will revise the standards with regard to paediatric first aid; when the new regulations will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33121/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Pre-school services are currently subject to the Child Care (Pre-school Services)(No 2) Regulations 2006. To provide for the implementation of the legislative changes to the Child Care Act 1991 which were enacted through the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, it was necessary to carry out a root and branch re-examination of the 2006 Regulations, including a re-structuring of the regulations in line with the latest drafting practices. This exercise has proved to be more time-consuming that originally envisaged, but I hope to be in a position to publish the new regulations shortly.

As the Deputy is aware, I am very anxious that everyone working directly with children in the early years sector should have an appropriate qualification in paediatric first aid. There is currently no accredited award in paediatric first aid at any level on the National Qualifications Framework. My Department has already sent a proposal for a Special Purpose Award in paediatric first aid to Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). There are a number of companies delivering courses in paediatric first aid, but the content and delivery of the courses is unregulated. What is required is an external quality assurance process to ensure that the institutions which will provide the training leading to the qualification have the necessary skills and competencies to deliver such a course.

My Department has now engaged with the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC), with a view to that body developing a paediatric first aid standard, and a paediatric first aid instructor standard, and accrediting or recognising appropriate institutions to deliver the courses and assess and certify students. In the meantime, my Department will liaise with QQI and other relevant stakeholders, and will consider how the objective of ensuring that everyone working directly with children in the early years sector has an appropriate qualification in paediatric first aid can best be implemented.