To ask the Minister of Education whether he intends to establish an Early Years Partnership Board, chaired by himself and the Minister of Health.

I am aware of the reference within the Independent Review of Education Report to the establishment of an Early Years Partnership Board. While I agree that close cooperation between my department and the department of Health is essential to ensuring a coordinated and coherent support infrastructure for children in their early years and beyond, there are existing structures in place to drive this. They include the recently formed Children and Young People’s Strategy Monitoring and Reporting Board, which includes DE and DOH representation at Deputy Permanent Secretary level.

I have no immediate plans to establish an additional board at this stage but will keep the existing arrangements under review.