Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 October 2018
223. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if consideration will be given to the request of a union (details supplied) for additional investment in the childcare sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40559/18]
View answerOver the last three budgets (2016, 2017 and 2018), the Government has increased investment in childcare by 85%. This demonstrates Government's commitment to investing in the childcare sector, but, as you will have heard me state many times, it is critical that the Government continues this investment to benefit all children and family types.
It is important that we acknowledge the role played by staff working in the childcare sector. Childcare workers play a critical role in delivering high quality early learning and school age care services and they deserve to be recognised, valued and respected for this. I do however acknowledge that pay and conditions are major issues facing the sector. My Department is engaging with the early years sector to explore how this can be addressed. As one of a number of interventions in this regard, I increased standard and higher capitation rates for ECCE by 7% from September 2018.
It must be noted that my Department is not the employer of childcare workers. However, in terms of improving pay and conditions I have engaged directly with the sector, and have suggested that one approach the sector could consider is applying for a Sectoral Employment Order (SEO) through the Labour Court, seeking a recommendation in relation to pay for the whole early years sector.
It should be highlighted that the first ever Independent Review into the Cost of Delivery of Quality Childcare is underway and will inform our future policy decisions in this area. This 'Independent Review of the Cost of Delivering Quality Childcare' is examining the costs faced by childcare providers in delivering quality childcare, including a survey of childcare providers. The review is intended to be used to strengthen the evidence base underpinning future policy development and investment in early years. The Independent Review is a critical input to the on-going reform of childcare in Ireland and is a commitment in the Programme for Government. It is expected that the report from this work, including the cost model and calculator, will be finalised over the coming period.
My Department is working hard to develop the new national Affordable Childcare Scheme and I am pleased to say we are making good progress. The scheme will provide financial support for parents and will establish a sustainable platform for investment in the childcare sector for generations to come.
Legislation establishing the new Affordable Childcare Scheme, the Childcare Support Act 2018, was enacted before the summer recess. This will be underpinned by detailed secondary legislation and formal policy guidelines, both of which are currently in development, along with regulations to provide for the registration of school-age childcare services by Tusla. These regulations will be introduced in advance of the Affordable Childcare Scheme to allow school-age childcare services to register and thereby participate in the scheme from the outset.
The interim measures which I introduced in September 2017 to fast-track some of the benefits of the Affordable Childcare Scheme have already supported more than 84,000 children and will remain in place until the new scheme goes live.
Finally, I intend to seek Government approval shortly for a cross Government, 10 year Early Years Strategy which will have a significant focus on early learning and care and school age childcare. This strategy will set out objectives, strategic actions and deliverables that I hope will result in increased investment in the area, to the benefit of children, families, our society and our economy.
