A GOVERNMENT advisory body has expressed disappointment that its recommendation to provide free high-quality care for all children in the year before they go to school has not been implemented.
Three years ago the National Economic and Social Forum conducted a cost-benefit analysis which estimated that every €1 spent now on early childhood education yields a return of more than €7 later.
However, in a progress report published today, the forum says it is a "big disappointment" that this recommendation has not been accepted.
It points out that the costs involved in such a scheme - estimated to be €136 million annually - are considerably less than the early childhood care supplement that was subsequently introduced by the Government.
This supplement gives parents €1,100 per year for each child under the age of six, regardless of the income of families.
The comments are contained in report by the forum that evaluates and monitors the Government's implementation of equality and social inclusion policies.
Specifically, the report focuses on work published by the forum between 2003 and 2006 and the impact of these recommendations on Government policies.
On a positive note the forum says the Government has committed to providing 50,000 new childcare places over the coming years, 5,000 of which are for school-age children.
But it also points out that this number is very small, given the increased number of parents working outside the home. It says making schools available for out- of-school activities, including for children, needs to be followed up.
On policies to support older workers, the forum says it supports the Government's initiative to review current rules on retirement and avail more of the potential of older people in the workforce.
It welcomes reforms of the pension system to give people more choice to retire gradually through, for example, building up additional pension years beyond 65.
This would have a number of benefits, including reducing upward pressure on pensions and health expenditure in the future.
The forum also reports progress in the field of equality policies for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. It says the Government's plans to legislate for civil partnerships will have a "practical and profound" impact on equality for this group.
But it says more progress is needed in areas such as the removal of the exemption given to religious, educational and medical institutions under equality legislation.
The Department of Enterprise should also develop a strategy to attract creative talent from abroad, drawing on the country's reputation of openness to diversity and to gays and lesbians.
In the area of care for older people, the forum says it is "disappointing" that the Department of Health has not reacted to its recommendation that public spending on elder care should be increased over the next five years in line with other developed European countries.
It says multi-annual resource allocations are essential to provide services that would enable older people to live in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Otherwise, it says, the current "year-to-year, ad-hoc system" will continue.
On an upbeat note, the forum says it is pleased that its recommendation to develop a national carers strategy has been taken on board and is due to be completed by the end of this year.
It also says it is pleased to see that lifelong learning for the low-skilled is to be prioritised under the social partnership deal, Towards 2016.
NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL FORUM: key numbers
€136m
The annual cost of providing free high-quality care for all children in the year before they go to school, as estimated in a plan proposed by the forum.
€1,100
The early childhood care supplement that was introduced by Government, which gives parents €1,100 per year for each child under the age of six, regardless of the income of families.
€7
A cost-benefit analysis by the forum estimated that every €1 spent now on early childhood education yields a return of over €7 later on.
