Dear colleagues

Early Years e-briefing – w/c 16 May 2016 'Valuing Staff, Members and their Commitment'

The following briefing outlines key issues or developments of relevance to our members and the organisation in the Republic of Ireland. 1. Weekly agenda ‘Schedule of Business’ link: http://www.oireachtas.ie/ViewDoc.asp?DocId=-1&CatID=60&m=w Access to Live Webcasts link: http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/watchlisten/

2. Cabinet appointments 2.1 Cabinet appointments Detail below of the list of appointments made to the cabinet: http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0506/786692-cabinet-announcements/

Ministers  ( – Mayo) - and Minister for Defence  Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael – Mid West) - Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality  Michael Noonan (Fine Gael – Limerick City) - Minister for Finance  Simon Harris - Minister for Health  (Independent – Dublin South-West) - Minister for Children and Youth Affairs  (Fine Gael – South-Central) - Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government  (Independent – Dublin Rathdown) – Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport  (Fine Gael – Cork North-West) – Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine  (Fine Gael – Dublin West) - Minister for Social Protection

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(Fine Gael – Dublin Central) - Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform  Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Fine Gael – Dún Laoghaire) - Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation  (Fine Gael – Laois) - Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade  (Fine Gael – Dublin Bay North) - Minister for Education & Skills  (Independent – Roscommon-) - Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources  (Fine Gael – Cavan-Monaghan) – Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs and Arts and the Ministers of State  (Fine Gael – Meath East) – Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach  (Fine Gael – Wexford) - Minister of State at the Departments of the Taoiseach and Defence with Special Responsibility for Defence  Finian McGrath (Independent – Dublin Bay North) – Minister of State at the Deparments of Social Protection, Justice and Equality and Health with special responsibility for Disability Issues.

A further associated press release on this by the Department of the Taoiseach can also be viewed via the following web link: List of Ministers and Ministers of State http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/Taoiseach_and_Government/List_of_Ministers_Mini sters_of_State/

3. A Programme for a Partnership Government 3.1 Publication of ‘A Programme for a Partnership Government’ On Wednesday 11 May Taoiseach Enda Kenny published ‘A Programme for a Partnership Government’, the Programme for Government document agreed between the Fine Gael Party, Alliance and Independent TDs. Key priorities for the Government’s first 100 days are: 1. Agreement with the Oireachtas on a reformed budget process, including the publication of a Spring Statement and a new National Economic Dialogue 2. Preparation and publication of an Action Plan for Housing 3. Establishment of a mobile coverage and broadband task force for rural areas 4. Reactivation of the National Treatment Purchase Fund to reduce waiting lists, and the preparation of a new winter A&E plan 5. Engagement between Government and education partners on new after- school care arrangements

The Document also contains commitments to target and prioritise investment at crucial areas such as the early years to give all children the best possible start in life and to establish a dedicated Prevention and Early Intervention Unit in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform/Finance to focus on early intervention policies that can improve the life outcomes of children.

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The document can be accessed via the link below: A Programme for a Partnership Government http://www.merrionstreet.ie/MerrionStreet/en/ImageLibrary/Programme_for_Partners hip_Government.pdf A press release associated with the publication can be accessed via the following link: http://www.merrionstreet.ie/en/News- Room/News/Statement_from_Taoiseach_Enda_Kenny_on_the_publication_of_A_Pr ogramme_for_a_Partnership_Government.html

4. News releases and articles

Department of Children and Youth Affairs New Child Care Regulations published New Child Care Regulations (the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016) will come into effect on a phased basis from 30th June 2016. The new Regulations provide for pre-school services, that is, those services catering for children under the age of 6 who are not attending primary school. The Regulations have been published now to give Tusla the Child and Family Agency and early years service providers some time to prepare for the commencement of the new Regulations by way of training and information sessions. The Regulations include a number of changes relating to:  Registration  Qualifications  Management The Regulations can be accessed via the link below: http://www.dcya.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/publications/20160510ChildCare ActEarlyYrsRegs2016SI221of2016.pdf The DCYA press release on this can be viewed via the following link: http://www.dcya.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?Docid=3774&CatID=11&mn=&StartDate=1+Jan uary+2016

Department of Health Planning permission granted for new children’s hospital An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission for the new children's hospital on a campus shared with St James's Hospital and the Paediatric OPD and Urgent Care Centres at and . http://health.gov.ie/blog/press-release/minister-varadkar-welcomes-planning- permission-for-new-childrens-hospital-2/

Please also feel free to share this briefing with colleagues, staff, members and parents/carers. For any further information, comments or suggestions in relation to any of the above items please feel free to contact: Noel McAllister (noelm@early- years.org).

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