Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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151. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when parents who avail of childcare through a childminder can expect to avail of the reduction in childcare fees announced in Budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49691/22]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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156. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress that has been made to date under the Childminding Action Plan; the way in which it is anticipated that childminders may ultimately avail of national childcare scheme benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50389/22]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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158. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline details of a new scheme under the Childminding Action Plan to simplify the registration of childminders to help parents access Government subsidies under the national childcare scheme. [50708/22]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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169. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when childminders will be added to the national childcare scheme; if an interim measure will be introduced in order that parents who utilise a childminder could avail of the reduction in childcare fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50213/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 151, 156, 158 and 169 together.

The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to opening the National Childcare Scheme to childminders at the earliest possible opportunity. Phase 1 of the Action Plan, which began in 2021, is expected to take 2 – 3 years to complete. Phase 1 includes developing new regulations and providing training specific to childminding, amending legislation, further research on ways to support childminders most effectively, and re-examining the funding and financial supports available for childminders.

A key objective of the National Action Plan for Childminding is to enable parents who use childminders to benefit from State subsidies through the National Childcare Scheme. The Childcare Support Act 2018, which provides a statutory basis for the National Childcare Scheme, specifies that only Tusla-registered providers are eligible to participate. This limitation of public funding schemes to Tusla-registered providers helps to ensure that public funding is provided where there is assurance of the quality of provision.

Childminders who are currently minding four or more preschool children or seven children of any age, are required to register with Tusla and can already access the increased subsidies for parents announced in Budget 2023.

While only a small number of childminders are currently required to register with Tusla under the Child Care Act 1991, it is intended that the National Action Plan for Childminding in April 2021-2028 will result in the opening up of the National Childcare Scheme to a much wider cohort.

The overall objective of the National Action Plan for Childminding is to improve access to high quality and affordable early learning and care and school-age childcare through childminding. The National Action Plan commits to opening the National Childcare Scheme to childminders at the earliest possible opportunity, though it will be necessary first to develop and introduce childminder-specific regulations, and to give childminders adequate time and support to meet regulatory requirements. Actions under way include the development of new, childminder-specific regulations that are proportionate and appropriate to the home environment in which childminders work, as well as the development of new, bespoke training for childminders.

Since coming into office I have been committed to seeing this process through. A great deal of work still lies ahead, and it is important that we take the time to get this right, as it will involve a major process of change.

Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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152. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress that has been made to date in advancing reforms to the operating model for childcare in Ireland; the timeline that he expects the proposed agency to be established by; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50386/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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On 29th March, Government accepted the findings of the independent Review of the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) Operating Model that a dedicated State agency is the optimal operating model for the ELC and SAC sector for the years ahead. It is envisaged that this dedicated agency will undertake the functions currently carried out by Pobal Early Years (including Better Start), the City/County Childcare Committees, as well as operational functions currently undertaken by my Department.

A dedicated State agency will assist in the development of a more streamlined structure to better support the delivery of ELC and SAC, and will facilitate my Department in implementing and progressing the significant reform agenda envisaged under First 5, the Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families.

Significant progress has been made in advancing this ambitious and transformative reform programme. My Department has commenced a comprehensive phase of detailed analysis and open planning, consultation, and engagement with sectoral stakeholders, to determine how the recommendation arising from the Review can best be implemented. This phase will include, inter alia, a detailed design of a new operating model, an examination of all legal requirements, transition and continuity planning, risk management, and a comprehensive evidence-based cost projection for the establishment and annual running costs of a new state agency. This work will culminate in a full agency design and implementation plan which will be presented to Government for approval.

This work will be carried out under the guidance of a Programme Board comprising inter-departmental representatives and external experts in the fields of early learning and childcare, public sector governance, and major organisational reform projects. I will be announcing details of the membership of the Programme Board shortly.

My Department is also committed to ongoing consultation with stakeholders, and engagement in this regard has already commenced. Officials from my Department have met with all organisations comprising the existing operating model, and with other key stakeholders, to brief them on the Review and to provide them with an opportunity to share their feedback and views. Engagement with a wide range of stakeholders will continue as a key feature of this reform programme as we work together to design a new operating model for the benefit of children and their families, providers and practitioners.

The implementation of this multifarious reform programme will likely require considerable lead-in time and the full establishment of a new agency will take several years to complete. A detailed timeline for the design and implementation of this complex programme of work, which will involve multiple strands of interdependent work streams, is currently being developed as part of the design and implementation planning phase currently underway.

I look forward to bringing a further report to Government following the completion of this phase of what is a significant and transformative reform programme.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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153. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the way childcare costs will be reduced for families in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50618/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As part of Budget 2023, I announced major reforms to the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) from January 2023, which will substantially improve the affordability of early learning and childcare for families.

Additional funding of €121 million has been allocated to the NCS from January 2023 so all families accessing registered early learning and childcare will receive a minimum hourly NCS subsidy of €1.40 off the cost of early learning and childcare. With the current minimum hourly NCS subsidy set at €0.50 per hour, the represents an additional €0.90 per hour off the cost of early learning and childcare. This translates to up to €63.00 off families weekly bill for early learning and childcare per child. With up to €22.50 currently available per week, this represents up to an additional €40.50 off weekly costs.

From 2nd of January 2023, any family who is not already at the maximum hourly subsidy under NCS (see Table) will see an increase in their subsidy. For those who receive a subsidy based on an income assessed subsidy, the amount of the increase will taper down as they approach the maximum hourly subsidy rate. The amount of increase individual families will see in their per hour subsidy, will differ widely depending on their current subsidy.

Table 1: Maximum Income Assessed Subsidy

In addition, on 15th September, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model will support delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families.

Together for Better brings together three major elements, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, including the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), the NCS and Core Funding.

Core Funding is the new funding stream in operation since 15 September 2022. A central condition of Core Funding is that providers agree not to increase fees above those which were charged last year. This gives parents greater certainty about what they will be charged and ensures that increases to NCS subsidies are not absorbed by fee increases. The approach to fee management will be developed further over time.

Participation in the Core Funding is optional and a list of participating services is available online here: first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/together-for-better/. To date, more than 91% of services are signed-up and thereby agreeing to operating the fee conditions. Parents should also be receiving a copy of their Partner Services fees policy outlined in the Parent Statement. I would encourage parents to contact their local City/County Childcare Committee for support and guidance. Contact information for City/County Childcare Committee is available here: myccc.ie/