Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth meets for resumed engagement on issues facing the Early Childhood Sector

The meeting will hear from Officials from Dept. of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth:

• Ms Anne-Marie Brooks, Assistant Secretary,
• Mr Toby Wolfe, Principal Officer,
• Mr Mark Considine, Principal Officer,
• Mr Mark Doheny, Principal Officer,
• Ms Oonagh Fleming, Acting Principal Officer.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Leas-Chathaoirleach Deputy Patrick Costello TD said “Our Committee had a very productive and informative meeting with the frontline stakeholders and representatives who provide the Early Years and School Age Care services in Ireland last week. Tomorrow gives us the opportunity to meet with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. We will continue to highlight the challenges facing the Early Childhood Sector and believe that it is imperative that the issue of the long-term underfunding in the Sector is addressed.

We will look for more information on the introduction since September 2022 of Together for Better, the funding model for early learning and childcare to address the most challenging issues the sector faces and ask what benefits it provides for children and their families, for the early learning and childcare workforce and for providers.

The Committee is aware of the need to see implementation across a range of actions including financial supports, inclusion and consultation when designing the services which affect this important Sector and we will look to the Department to talk us through their plans and actions to achieve this.”

Read more on the work carried out by The Joint Committee on Children, Disability, Equality, Integration & Youth

You can view the meeting in Committee Room 4 on Oireachtas TV