Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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377. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will review the rules surrounding the hiring of staff in the early education sector to address the current shortage of suitably qualified applicants in line with the current rules in the primary education category (details supplied). [19049/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 provide that each employee working directly with children attending the service must hold at least a major award in Early Childhood Care and Education at Level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework or a qualification deemed by the Minister to be equivalent. The Regulations clearly state that the service provider must ensure that their staff meet this standard.

This section of the regulations took effect on 30th June 2016 for services registering after that date and for all other services took effect on 31st December 2016.

The Department introduced this regulatory change following many years consultation with the sector. Mindful of the challenge that it would present to the sector, the Department introduced the following supportive measures:

·Learner Funds to provide sector workers with an opportunity to upskill to a Level 5 qualification.

·The Regulations provided an exemption for certain existing childcare staff who intend to retire from the sector in the near future, do not hold the minimum qualification and who do not wish to undertake a course of training at this stage. The option to apply for an exemption, which was first publicised through the City / County Childcare Committees in 2014 applies up to September 2021. The Regulations stipulate that persons seeking to avail of this exemption must, by 30th June 2016, have signed the necessary declaration and be in possession of a letter from the Minister confirming that the exemption had been granted.

·A qualifications assessment procedure, put in place by the Department in the latter half of 2015, allows for applications to be made for individual qualifications assessment. This is conducted by the Department in consultation with the Early Years Policy Unit of the Department of Education and Skills, and is available to anyone who applies. Each application is dealt with on a case by case basis.

Staff who have completed a relevant award at NFQ Level 5 or above by the 31st of December, or who were granted an exemption before the 30th June 2016, will meet the regulatory standard. Staff who are currently undergoing education to achieve a Level 5 award will not meet the regulatory standard until that award has been achieved.

The Department is aware of reports from the Early Years sector regarding the difficulties recruiting staff. It is believed that the expansion of ECCE from September 2016 to April 2017 may have contributed to this. The Department is working with the Department of Education and Skills to explore the possibility of a new workforce plan for the Early Years sector. This would provide objective evidence and analysis regarding supply and demand issues, to inform future capacity planning by both Departments.