Vol. 510 No. 1
135 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress of the interdepartmental group on child care; the number of occasions the group has met; the consultations which have taken place; when he will publish its report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21935/99]
The Interdepartmental Committee on Child Care was established in February 1999 and held 14 meetings in the course of its deliberations. The terms of reference of the committee were to evaluate, cost and prioritise the proposals in the report of the Expert Working Group on Child Care, and the child care proposals in An Action Programme for the Millennium, the Report of the Commission on the Family and the Report of the National Forum on Early Childhood Education. Wide consultation on child care issues had already taken place in drawing up the three reports referred to and the interdepartmental committee supplemented this through consultation with various bodies on the delivery of the child care proposals outlined in these reports. My Department submitted the report of the Interdepartmental Committee on Child Care to the Government on 14 September 1999.
The Government has noted the report of the committee and has referred it for consideration to a ministerial group, which I am chairing. The group includes the Tánaiste and the Ministers for Finance, Health and Children, Social, Community and Family Affairs and Education and Science. This group has met on a number of occasions and aims to conclude its deliberations as soon as practicable.
The matter of publication of the report of the Interdepartmental Committee on Child Care will not be decided until the ministerial group has reported back to Cabinet.
