Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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72. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the engagement his Department has had with an organisation (details supplied) since it withdrew from the National Childminding Action Plan. [36210/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The National Action Plan for Childminding (NAPC) sets out a pathway to be developed over the next eight years towards regulation, support and subsidies for all paid, non-relative childminders. The National Action Plan will involve change and will bring significant benefits for childminders, children and the families using their services.

While the organisation in question, which represents childminders, temporarily withdrew from processes related to the National Action Plan on 2 June, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that officials in my Department received written confirmation on 5 July that the organisation is now re-engaging in the National Action Plan processes. They have confirmed that they will accept the invitation to take up a seat on the Steering Group for the National Action Plan. The Steering Group is currently in the process of being formed by my Department, in order to drive, oversee and monitor implementation of the National Action Plan.

Their agreement to re-engage is very welcome as I believe that active engagement and consultation with childminders and their representatives will be a key to successful implementation of the National Action Plan. To this end, a number of places will also be reserved for childminders themselves on both the Steering Group and the Advisory Groups that will be established to support the Steering Group. (The Steering Group will be supported by four Advisory Groups in relation to: regulation and inspection; training and support; funding and financial supports; and consultation and communications.)

The organisation's re-engagement follows a number of constructive communications between the organisation and officials in my Department, including meetings on 10 June and 2 July.

The publication of the National Action Plan was a milestone in Government policy on childminding, putting childminding at the heart of Government policy for the first time. It creates a crucial opportunity to support childminders on a pathway towards recognition and support. I look forward to working with all childminders, their representatives and other stakeholders, including Childminding Ireland, over the years ahead as we set out to implement the commitments in the National Action Plan.