Vol. 518 No. 4
115 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if the review by ADM Limited of pre-school child care provision is complete; the implications of this report on early childhood education policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11808/00]
I assume the Deputy is referring to the national child care census which is being carried out on by Area Development Management Limited which activities fall within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It is acknowledged that there is a need for baseline data on the availability of child care throughout the country in order to be able to plan and develop services over the seven years of the national development plan. I understand that the following is the position in relation to the census.
The project involved a census of group based child care facilities which will provide information in relation to child population, the level of supply of such facilities, the availability of child care places in such facilities and the likely future demand for such services on a county to county basis. It will also provide data for analysis in relation to future planning of child care supports. The collection of data has been completed in most counties at this stage and the county reports are being finished. National reports arising from the census will be published later this year. It is intended to launch the first county reports at the forthcoming childcare conference in Killarney on 8-9 May 2000.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has been given responsibility for co-ordinating child care service delivery over the course of the national development plan. This involves the establishment of national and local structures to include the key players in the future development of child care. The structures include: an inter-departmental committee to focus on co-operation and co-ordination on policy issues, including early childhood education, between Departments and State agencies with a role in child care. The national child care census will provide valuable information on the provision of child care in this context; a national co-ordinating child care committee to oversee the development of an integrated child care infrastructure throughout the country and county child care committees to advance child care service provision at local levels. Membership will comprise local representatives of the statutory and non-statutory sectors including parents.
It is envisaged that these structures, together with the national child care census and database, will provide a forum for consultation and sharing of information on development of the child care sector.
The outcome of the census will also be relevant in the context of the implementation of Ready to Learn, the White Paper on Early Education published by my Department recently. Planning for implementation of the White Paper's proposals is currently in progress.
