Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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272. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when he will publish the new regulations on child care standards; if the regulations will provide for paediatric first aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5139/16]

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 is now nearing completion.

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. 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 secured agreement with the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) on a paediatric first aid standard, a paediatric first aid instructor standard, and a process to accredit appropriate institutions to deliver the courses and assess and certify students. The completion of this process will facilitate the inclusion of a first aid provision in the regulations in the future.