Featured News

Minister Zappone publishes Guardian Ad Litem Bill 

Monday 12th August 2019

• Guardians ad litem (GALs) enhance the decision-making capacity of the court in child care proceedings by advising on a child’s best interests and conveying the views of the child to the court.
• Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2019 to extend GAL system so that it benefits the greatest number of children and young people
• Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2019 will ensure the best interests of children and young people in care proceedings are always met by allowing their voices to be heard
• The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. Katherine Zappone, has published the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2019. This Bill addresses significant inadequacies in existing Guardian ad litem (GAL) provisions under Section 26 of the Child Care Act 1991. Its objective is to regulate the existing ad hoc system of Guardian ad litem appointments and to extend the system so that it benefits the greatest number of children and young people.

Guardians ad litem are appointed by judges in child care proceedings. Their role is to independently establish the wishes, feelings and interests of the child and present them to the court with recommendations.

Minister Zappone said: “I am pleased to announce the publication of the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2019 which provides for the establishment of a new national Guardian ad litem service within an Executive Office of my Department. The Bill provides for a presumption in favour of the appointment of a Guardian ad litem to all children and young people in child care cases. This will ensure that a child’s view is always effectively conveyed to the Court in child care court proceedings.

“This Bill is the culmination of the Government’s commitment to review existing Guardian ad litem provision. It significantly improves upon existing legislation in ensuring that the rights of all vulnerable children are upheld in child care proceedings. In parallel with progressing the necessary legislative reforms, I intend, with the assistance of relevant stakeholders, to consult with children and young people over the coming months on the type of Guardian ad litem service to be provided. This will inform procedural aspects of the new service.

“This Bill gives me the statutory basis to put in place a high quality, and sustainable Guardian ad litem national service within my Department and to ensure that all children in child care proceedings get the opportunity to have their voice heard and due consideration is given to their best interests.”

The Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2019:

Provides for a presumption in favour of a Guardian ad litem being appointed for all children in child care proceedings.
Requires the court, if it declines to appoint a Guardian ad litem, to state its reasons for not appointing a GAL and say how it intends to hear the views of the child.
Specifies the role and status of a Guardian ad litem and allows the Minister to make regulations on the qualifications and experience required to act as a Guardian ad litem.
Provides for a new national and transparent process for the appointment and assignment of GALs to child care cases.
Provision is also made for the mandatory appointment of a Guardian ad litem in all proceedings under Section 25 of the Mental Health Act 2001, which provides for the involuntary admission of a child who has a mental disorder to an approved centre.
The legislation provides the statutory basis for the establishment of a national Guardian ad litem service within an Executive Office within the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. This will enable the Minister to put in place a nationally organised and managed service to enable and facilitate the child’s views to be heard in proceedings under the Child Care Act 1991 to ensure that a high quality and sustainable service is provided into the future.

Graduate Bursary

The Department of Children & Youth Affairs (DCYA) will re-opened the Learner Fund Bursary to Early Years practitioners who are new graduates of a recognised Early Childhood Education and Care degree programme.

The award must be a full, major award placed at level 7/8/9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and achieved in the academic years 2013 to 2019 inclusive.

Applications will open on 19th August and the deadline for submission of applications will be 27th September 2019. If you would like further information or an application form, please contact our office on 057 9135878 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Childminder Bursary 

The Department of Children & Youth Affairs (DCYA) will open the Learner Fund Bursary for Childminders.

Eligible applicants must be registered with Tusla and hold a full level 5 or level 6 award on the National Frame of Qualifications (NFQ) which was achieved in the academic years 2013 to 2019 inclusive.

Applications will open on 19th August and the deadline for submission of applications will be 27th September 2019.

If you would like further information or an application form, please contact our office on 057 9135878 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ECCE 2019/2020 Optional Extras

In light of the revised Optional Extras Guide which was uploaded on PIP on 3rd of July, there have been changes to allowable and disallowable optional extras (page 3) for the 2019/2020 programme year. The rule in relation to ad hoc extra times requested by parents has also been revised (please see PIP notice dated 3rd July 2019).

As many service providers had submitted their ECCE fees list on PIP before these changes were issued, we would ask that you ensure that your fees list is compliant with the changes. Your CCC may have communicated to you prior to 3rd July that your fees list was approved.

In light of the updated Guide can you please ensure your fees list complies with the changes. If it does not can you please amend and resubmit on PIP.

In addition, following consideration of feedback the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has decided to allow 1 paid trip for ECCE programme year as an optional extra for 2019/2020. We would also like to remind all services (sessional, part time, full time) that they must offer an ECCE ONLY SESSION (for which there is no charge) on their fees list.