Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
874. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason her Department has yet to produce a midpoint of Nurturing Skills which was due in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14485/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra875. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the midpoint review of Nurturing Skills which was due in 2025 is expected to be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14486/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra876. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the further implementation plan which is due to be developed as a result of the midpoint review of Nurturing Skills is to be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14487/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 874, 875 and 876 together.
Staff in this sector play a key role in supporting children’s development and well-being, working in partnership with families. Recognising their central importance for the quality of provision, the Department continues to implement 'Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028'.
Nurturing Skills sets out plans to raise the profile of careers in the sector and establish role profiles, career pathways, qualification requirements, and associated policy mechanisms, along with leadership development opportunities, and will work towards a more gender-balanced and diverse workforce. It also includes a commitment and actions to achieve a graduate-led workforce by 2028.
Commitments in Nurturing Skills are organised under five "pillars":
• Establishing a career framework.
• Raising qualification levels.
• Developing a national Continuing Professional Development system.
• Supporting recruitment, retention, and diversity in the workforce; and
• Moving towards regulation of the profession.
A Monitoring Committee is in place to monitor the implementation of the Nurturing Skills Implementation Plan. The Monitoring Committee meet twice a year, with the most recent in December 2025.
The committee also produces an annual report on the progress of the Nurturing Skills Implementation Plan and the report for 2024 was published in May of last year. All of the annual monitoring reports on the implementation of Nurturing Skills can be viewed at www.nurturingskills.ie.
The Nurturing Skills Monitoring Committee commits to carrying out a mid-point review that will consider possible amendments to the Plan in light of progress made and will inform development of a second implementation plan. Monitoring of the Nurturing Skills will also be assisted by Ireland’s joining the OECD TALIS Starting Strong survey, which involves surveying a representative sample of Early Years Educators on a periodic basis.
The midpoint review was originally due for completion in 2025 however it was postponed to allow for the publication of the results of the OECD TALIS Starting Strong survey which was published in December 2025. These results along with findings from the CSO Early Learning Care Graduate Outcomes 2022 report also published in December 2025 will help inform the review.
It was also deemed appropriate to wait until the publication of Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan in December 2025. It is important that the midpoint review and new implementation plan are completed in line with the priorities set out in Shaping the Future.
Work has begun on the midpoint review; the Department intends to contact stakeholders regarding focus groups to support the process in the coming weeks.
The midpoint review will include an updated implementation plan for 2026-2028. This plan will outline the key actions required to achieve the objectives set out in Nurturing Skills. The findings from the research being used for the midpoint review, along with stakeholder engagement carried out as part of the midpoint review, will inform the prioritisation of actions within the new implementation plan.
The midpoint review and revised implementation plan are scheduled to be completed in early Q2 2026.
