Aidan Farrelly
Question:769. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress of the implementation of a single agency for early years and school age care. [17162/26]
View answerTuesday, 3 March 2026
Questions (769)
Written answers
On 29th March 2022 Government accepted the findings of the independent Review of the Early Learning and Childcare Operating Model in Ireland that a dedicated state agency is the optimal operating model for the early learning and childcare sector for the years ahead.
Significant progress has already been made in advancing this ambitious and transformative reform programme. A Programme Oversight Board was established to oversee this important work. It was comprised of interdepartmental representatives alongside several external experts with experience at senior level in change management, large-scale reform, leadership, governance, public policy, and a knowledge of the sector.
DCDE engaged independent consultants Indecon in December 2023, on foot of a competitive procurement process, to undertake an initial phase of research, analysis and stakeholder engagement to inform the design of the agency. Indecon’s work is largely complete and in November 2025 a draft consolidated report was approved in principle by the Agency Programme Oversight Board. Those final edits are being concluded.
In the coming weeks further consultation and engagement with key Government Departments is planned. This will be in advance of returning to update Government, as was committed to in the decision of March 2022.