Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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23. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans for the reinstatement of the child minding advisory service. [23036/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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In 2002, the Health Service Executive (HSE) agreed to fund a Child minding Advisory Officer post in each county, who would work with the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) funded under the Childcare Programme, implemented by the then Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The role included notifying child minders of training opportunities, providing networking opportunities and supporting the CCCs with their work with child minders.

In recent years, HSE funding for the Child minding Advisory Officer posts has gradually decreased, and is no longer in place in the majority of areas. The funding of the 30 CCCs was also reduced as part of expenditure reviews in recent years. However, the CCCs continue to provide valuable services at local level and supporting the child minding sector is an integral part of their work. As a result, child minders continue to have access to some level of support, training and advice.

My Department provides annual funding to each CCC to enable them to support and advise all childcare providers at local level. In 2016, the total amount allocated to the CCCs was €10.4m. In addition, in 2016 my Department provided €250,000 to the CCCs for Child minding Development Grants. My Department also provides annual funding, totalling €2.44m in 2016, to seven National Voluntary Childcare Organisations to provide support at a local level to their members. This included €340,000 for Child minding Ireland (CMI), the representative body for child minders. This national association supports quality development in family based care for children. It supports parents with childcare choices and concerns and also child minders. My Department will soon commence work with Child minding Ireland through a consultative group to inform policy on a programme of supports and reforms for the Child minding Sector.

Decisions on how best to regulate and support the child minding sector will continue to form part of the ongoing work and considerations of officials working on the Early Years Strategy which is due to be finalised by the end of 2016.