Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2024
668. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the work of the unit within his Department examining what a nationalised childcare model might look like; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43287/24]
View answerReform of the early learning and childcare sector has been a major focus of this Government.
The Programme for Government committed to reforming the system to create one that brings together the best of community and private provision and the development of a new funding model for affordable, accessible, sustainable and high quality early learning and childcare.
The framework for reform of the sector is set out in Partnership for the Public Good, the 2021 report of an Expert Group which was established to develop a new funding model for the sector. The key theme of the recommendations in the report was to strengthen State involvement and enhanced public management in the sector, in conjunction with increased State funding. This is intended to be underpinned by a cultural shift to a partnership relationship between providers and the State that reflects the public good dimension of early learning and childcare, with new responsibilities on both sides.
The introduction of the new Core Funding scheme and its associated conditionality including in relation to staff pay and fee management; developments to the National Childcare Scheme and the Access and Inclusion Model; and the establishment of Equal Start this year represent the implementation of several of the specific recommendations in the report.
Under their terms of reference, the Expert Group was not asked to propose changes to the current model of delivery (i.e. privately-operated provision), rather that the Group should seek to further achieve policy objectives of quality, affordability, accessibility and contributing to addressing disadvantage in a privately-operated system through increased public funding and public management.
Notwithstanding their terms of reference, the Expert Group included in one of its 25 recommendations that: In the medium term, the Minister should mandate the Department to examine whether some element of public provision should be introduced alongside private provision.
In January 2024, I established a new unit, the Supply Management Unit in the Early Learning and Childcare Division, which includes as part of its remit to begin an exploration of public provision as called for in Recommendation 25. The unit is also responsible for developing a new forward planning model and administering capital funding. The Unit has been gradually increasing its staffing levels during the year so that it can deliver its remit.
There are different understandings of what public provision means to stakeholders in the sector. Issues relating to staff employment, pay and conditions; ownership and management of buildings; operating models; governance arrangements; service offering; appropriate level of supply of services; fees for parents; and the overall funding model will need to be examined. These issues, along with the wider potential implications of introducing an element of public delivery, are beginning to be examined by my officials.
