Presentation of FETAC 2 Certificates

Address by Mr. Michael Ahern T.D.

Minister for Trade and Commerce

At the Presentation of FETAC 2 Certificates

In the Carrigtwohill Community Hall, Cork

Monday 5^th April 2004 at 7.30 pm

Good evening to you all. I am very pleased to be here to make these presentations, and I would like to begin by thanking Mary Carey for inviting me.

Further education is a very positive step for participants in any part of our economy and the childcare sector is no exception. The most obvious benefits are to the recipients of these qualifications, and of course the children they care for, whose interests are paramount. However, from my own point of view as Minister for Trade and Commerce, I can tell you that the childcare sector is particularly valuable to our nation's prosperity, since it gives parents the opportunity to participate actively in the economy, and it provides a solid starting ground in the education of our future workforce, the children themselves.

The improvement of quality, the creation of new childcare places and the co-ordination of childcare related activities have been important concerns for the Government, all the more so as Ireland's economy has grown over recent years, needing more and more workers across a broad range of industries and professions. There is also the very important issue of the rights of parents, particularly women, to avail of work, training or education, which would not be possible without the availability of quality, affordable childcare.

It was in response to this increased demand for quality childcare that the Government provided, with EU assistance, almost € 437 million to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to facilitate the operation of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP).

This Programme aims to improve the quality of childcare, to maintain and increase the number of childcare facilities and places available to parents and to introduce a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of childcare services. The funding committed to date for the support and development of childcare under the EOCP since its launch in mid 2000 is over € 254.3 million. This funding will, on completion of the projects, help to sustain over 54,000 high quality childcare places nationwide and of these, over 28,000 will be totally new and additional places. A significant part of the remaining funding will be used to meet the ongoing costs of supporting childcare services in disadvantaged areas. Most importantly, the quality of existing places is being enhanced and, in many instances, the funding has enabled services to extend their hours of operation in order to suit the real needs of working parents.

I am pleased to relate that, under the EOCP, almost € 23 million has been allocated to childcare providers in Cork to date and it is envisaged that this funding will support some 2,950 existing childcare places and lead to the creation of 2,616 new places upon completion of the projects. As part of this funding, the Carrigtwohill Family Resource Centre was allocated a staffing grant in late November of last year, which will provide funding towards the salaries of three childcare workers over the next three years, and will allow an extension of opening hours to better suit parents needs.

However, the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme is not solely about the increase in numbers of childcare places and services. The Programme has also allocated € 42.9 million to Quality Improvement, and this measure funds the Cork City and County Childcare Committees and several of the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations who operate in Cork and throughout the country.

Obviously, communication and co-operation is essential in any endeavour involving a variety of participants, and childcare is no exception. Because of this, the major stakeholders in the childcare sector come together regularly as members of the National Childcare Co-ordinating Committee, which is chaired by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. This Committee deals with childcare issues relevant to all parts of the country and formulates policies based on the conditions and challenges faced in the sector today.

The Certifying Bodies Subgroup of the National Committee was the instrumental body in formulating the Model Framework for Education, Training and Professional Development in the Early Childhood Care and Education Sector, a publication which sets out a clear guide for professional development in the childcare sector through education and training. As a result of this, there are now more possibilities than ever in this stimulating and rewarding profession.

The training available to childcare providers has significantly expanded over a relatively short time. The establishment of the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) in 2001 meant that courses already available to a wide variety of professions could be enhanced by more comprehensive accreditation, which has had the dual effect of improving their quality and making the qualifications achieved internationally recognised. In childcare, an industry whose importance has long been under-recognised, this has been of particular importance. The course content has been refined and ceremonies like this one this evening aim to give those involved a sense of professional identity and pride in their accomplishments.

The Government's input into the childcare sector over recent years would be meaningless without the hard work and dedication of you, the childcare providers, and you are to be congratulated on your hard work, not just in providing a valuable service to the community, but in continually striving to improve the quality of care you provide through training and generating awareness of the latest developments in the field.

Before I start to present these well earned certificates, I'd like to thank all of the people involved in organising today's event. You are also to be congratulated for your initiative in celebrating the advancement of these recipients' careers, and your role in encouraging the achievement of quality standards in services, which will benefit both the children and the parents of Cork.

ENDS/TC 89