Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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993. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the review of the county childcare committees will be completed; and when the regional hubs will be designated. [1525/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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On 29th March 2022 Government accepted the findings of the independent Review of the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) Operating Model in Irelandthat a dedicated state agency is the optimal operating model for the early learning and childcare sector for the years ahead. This Review undertook a comprehensive analysis of the existing operating model, which included, amongst other organisations, the 30 City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs). It is envisaged that this state agency will undertake the functions currently carried out by Pobal Early Years (including Better Start), the CCCs, 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 analysis, planning, consultation, and engagement with sectoral stakeholders to determine how the recommendation arising from the Review can best be implemented. This phase will include a detailed design of a new agency, which will include determining the appropriate national, local and regional structures and locations for the agency. It will also involve 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. My Department is committed to ongoing consultation with all stakeholders, including CCCs, throughout the design process to ensure that the strengths of the existing model are maintained and that appropriate balance between national, regional and local structures is established in the reformed operating model.

This work will culminate in a full agency design and implementation plan which will be presented to Government for approval.

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