To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way he will incorporate the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education into his Department; the sections of his Department which will cover the work which has been under the remit of CECDE; if the expertise provided by CECDE is already available within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Freagra : Minister of State, Barry Andrews

The Centre for Early Childhood Development (CECDE) was established in 2002 as part of the implementation of Ready to Learn, the White Paper on Early Childhood Education (1999). It was sanctioned initially for a 3 year period.

This was extended for a further 3 years in 2005. The original remit of the Centre included the development of a Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education. This was successfully delivered in 2006 with the publication of Síolta. Since the CECDE had effectively delivered on its remit and its sanction was ending in 2008, it presented an opportune time to look at the structures that should be put in place to move to the next phase.

The establishment of the Centre had pre-dated the establishment of the Office of the Minister for Children, now the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. This Office brings together policy makers from different Government Departments to ensure consistency in policy-making and policy implementation for children and is, I consider well placed to progress quality provision in Early Childhood Care and Education. While the CECDE will not be incorporated into my Department, it is envisaged that 2 CECDE staff will be contracted to work within the OMCYA structure in the area of Early Years Education Policy.