Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 March 2023
42. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has engaged with childminders regarding their concerns about increased regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15557/23]
View answerThe National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to develop new, childminder-specific, regulations that are proportionate and appropriate to the home environment and the family setting in which childminders work. This is a necessary step in enabling non-relative childminders to register with Tusla and take part in the National Childcare Scheme, thus allowing parents who use childminders to access subsidies. I am keen to open the National Childcare Scheme to childminders at the earliest possible opportunity, but I am very conscious that the drafting of new regulations needs considerable care in order to get the regulations right, and needs engagement with childminders themselves.
That is why I have ensured there are childminders on the Steering Group for the National Action Plan as well as on all four Advisory Groups, including the Advisory Group on Regulation and Inspection of Childminding. That is also why engagement and consultation with childminders has been key to the process of bringing childminders into the scope of regulation ever since work on this began in 2016, when the Government established a working group on reform and asked Childminding Ireland to chair it. The Draft Action Plan was based on the report of this working group chaired by Childminding Ireland, and there was extensive consultation with childminders – and parents – on the Draft Action Plan.
Consultation will continue this year, with childminders and the wider public as we work on drafting the new regulations. I wish to acknowledge that positive engagement with childminders at local level is and will continue to be critical to success. An Advisory Group on Consultation and Communications has been formed to support the other Advisory Groups in their consultations.
