Early Childhood Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Early Childhood Ireland

Date published 21 Jan, 2016

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Children and Youth Affairs

Period 1 Sep, 2015 to 31 Dec, 2015

Specific Details Expansion and reform of Early Childhood Care and Education scheme; viability and sustainability of the sector; Children with additional needs; recruitment and training of staff; remuneration; professionalisation of sector; building of capacity while tackling displacement; regulation of afterschool provision; representation; planning.

Intended results Greater supports to the sector to enable planned expansion and reform to happen. Better understanding of the challenges facing the sector in expanding to meet the expectations announced in Budget 2016, particularly in ensuring their viability and sustainability. Ensuring new ECEC staff can be recruited and trained to required standard, and existing staff can receive appropriate education and training, particularly from levels 6 up. Developing greater supports for children with additional needs in childcare. Developing recruitment and training systems to meet the demands of the expansion of the sector and in driving improvements in quality. Greater consideration of the viability and sustainability of the ECEC sector in Government decision making. New initiatives to address low remuneration within the sector. Action to ensure that displacement of existing services is minimised, particularly in the roll-out of the expanded ECCE. The creation of new systems for regulating and supporting afterschool provision for children in primary schools. Strengthening the systems by which childcare interests are represented to Government. Creating greater synergy and more coherence between the relevant inspection systems run by Government Departments and agencies.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Teresa Heeney

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) Yes

Current or Former Designated Public Official(s)

Dónall Geoghegan (Former DPO) An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (6-10)

Meetings at their offices of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs at Mespil Road, at the offices of ECI, at Leinster House and at conferences/events.

Email (11-20)

Various emails providing information and outlining ECI's positioning on relevant matters.

Letter (2-5)

Letters providing information and setting out ECI's suggestions and positions on relevant matters.

Informal communication (21-30)

Numerous informal communications at the fringes of conferences and other events on relevant matters.

Phone call (11-20)

Phone calls on relevant matters.

Submission (2-5)

Submitted documents to provide information and set out the views of ECI on relevant matters.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Bernie McNally Assistant Secretary (Department of Children and Youth Affairs)

James Reilly Minister (Department of Children and Youth Affairs)

Fergal Lynch Secretary General (Department of Children and Youth Affairs)

Camille Loftus Special Advisor (Department of Children and Youth Affairs)

Mark Costigan Special Advisor (Department of Children and Youth Affairs)