Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 October 2025
502. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of a dedicated state agency for early learning and childcare, which would undertake functions currently carried out by Pobal Early Years, the 30 City and County Childcare Committees as well as operational functions currently undertaken by her Department. [52976/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 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. It is envisaged that this 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 the DCDE.
Significant progress has been made in advancing the programme of work for the planning and design of the agency. The Department has commenced a phase of analysis, planning, and consultation, and is committed to ongoing and extensive engagement with sectoral stakeholders throughout the programme of reform. This phase of work comprises a detailed design of a new agency and a evidence-based cost projection for the establishment and annual operational costs of a new agency. The Department continues to engage with independent consultants Indecon who have been contracted to undertake the initial phase of research and analysis to inform the design of the agency.
Initial consultation events regarding the vision, mission and values of the agency with a wide range of stakeholders have taken place. A report has been compiled from these initial consultations and the report has been circulated to the participating stakeholders and uploaded to the dedicated agency web page.
Consultation events also took place in May/June 2024 with the focus on function mapping across the current operating model. A further consultation session also took place in October 2024 regarding the mapping of the workforce across the current operating model. During these consultation events Indecon provided updates on the progress and timelines for the completion of the work on the planning and design of the agency.
It is anticipated that this phase will be concluded in late 2025 with the production of a consolidated report on the design of the agency. A detailed costing exercise is also underway and is scheduled to conclude in late 2025 also. The work will culminate in a costed agency design, including the remit, organisational structure and service delivery model, which will be presented to Government for approval.
