Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 April 2023
496. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on proposed research on early learning and care, and school-age childcare need of parents who work atypical hours or live in rural communities, and develop recommendations for future action, as required by the Rural Development Policy 2021-2025. [19608/23]
View answerOur Rural Future is the whole-of-Government policy for sustainable rural development in Ireland. It was published in March 2021 and contains more than 150 measure intended to support the post–Covid-19 recovery in the short-term, economic and social development in the longer terms as well as environmental and cultural well-being.
The policy acknowledges the challenges facing those seeking to avail of, early learning and childcare in rural areas, and the need to better understand the requirements of parents of preschool-age and school-age children in these communities.
The research referred to by the deputy falls under measure 95 of Our Rural Future with the my Department as having lead responsibility for delivery.
This research involved two phases:
• a nationally representative parent survey of over 500 households with children aged under 15 years the early learning and care and school-age childcare needs of parents who work atypical hours or live in rural communities,
• a small-scale qualitative study through a series of focus group discussions with parents who work atypical hours or live-in rural communities. The qualitative study will complement the parent survey, in exploring key themes in more detail with parents.
A final report incorporating the results of both phases, as well as a review of the relevant literature, is being finalised for publication in Q3 of 2023 and will inform policy development in this area.
