Minister for Children James Reilly has said there is no timeframe for implementing the range of measures outlined in the interdepartmental report on childcare but that he would like to see the process start this year.

Speaking at IT Sligo after the Cabinet met in Lissadell House, Dr Reilly said the proposals were “very much predicated on what money is available at any given time”.

“It is not a big-bang approach by any means ,” he said.

He said that as the economy improved and people were returning to work the Government wanted to remove barriers for parents seeking employment.

Dr Reilly said he would be “making a bid” in the budget estimates but he noted that future governments would be directly involved in some of the proposed measures .

Societal benefits

He said it was “crystal clear” the measures would improve outcomes for children while also providing societal benefits in terms of, for example, less anti-social behaviour.

The Minister said he had not yet decided which aspect of the report would be implemented first. Although he had a good idea of the direction he would take, he wanted further discussions with other Government departments, with parents and the childcare sector.

“We have to be pragmatic. What we are doing is laying out the plan, laying out the options and it is there to be acted on whenever the resources become available,” he said.

Tax credits

Dr Reilly appeared to rule out tax credits, saying the international experience was that they tended to push up the cost of childcare.

The Working Group had looked at this issue in great detail but there was a view that by directing available resources at providers “we would have some say on standards and quality”.