Early Childhood Care and Education
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-19
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Claire Kerrane (SF), Roscommon-Galway

If that Act needs to be amended to specifically state childminders in particular, that needs to be done as quickly as possible. There still is not clarity. While I appreciate the Minister has been engaging, we need to hear that update on what is actually going to happen. As I said, we are at a critical juncture for childminders in the State. I and colleagues heard yesterday from a number of them, who are deciding after 17 or 18 years as childminders not to continue. Commercial rates were raised by each one of them as the endgame. This needs to be sorted out quickly. It would be beneficial for the Minister and helpful for everyone concerned, particularly when we look at the low number of childminders registering, to meet with Childminding Ireland and hear from it directly on this and other matters.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-19/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:40+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-19