Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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145. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will meet with an organisation (details supplied) to discuss its concerns regarding disadvantage funding and supports; and if not, the reason. [56856/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department is in the scoping phase of developing a new strand of the funding model for early learning and childcare - Tackling Disadvantage - in line with a commitment in First 5 and informed for recommendations in Partnership for the Public Good.

I have tasked officials within my Department to consider a response to the needs associated with socio-economic disadvantage and present a policy response and recommendations for my consideration informed by a number of key stakeholders including the organisation noted.

Officials from my Department will present the work that has been carried out to date and the planned actions to follow, to the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum in the coming weeks, of which ACP Ireland is a member. All parties to this Forum (over 20 different representative organisations) will have an opportunity to input.

In addition, I understand offers of a bilateral meeting between ACP Ireland and the officials working on the Tackling Disadvantage Plan in my Department have been made, but have not yet been taken up.