Last week, the Minister of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) led the Irish delegation that appeared before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, Switzerland. Joined by officials from several government departments, the Minister answered questions from the Committee concerning disability services, new legislation, equality and inclusion of

A recent report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has found that investing in Early Years education services has positive consequences for society. Public investment in high-quality education leads to a range of positive economic outcomes, including higher productivity, innovation and long-term economic growth. It also has broader social outcomes for both

Late last year the Fawcett Society, who campaign for gender equality in the United Kingdom, launched their report Childcare and early education systems: A comparative literature review of liberal welfare states. This comprehensive report reviews the system of Early Years provision in England, bemoaning its lack of vision, strategy and chronic underfunding. Moreover, a barrier

A recent report from two UK-based organisations, Save the Children and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), weighed up the potential societal benefits of investing in a universal guarantee of affordable childcare for children and their families. Although largely focussed on the economic benefits of this initiative rather than benefits for children and their