To ask the Minister of Education what plans he has to introduce child-centred, affordable, flexible, high-quality childcare in Northern Ireland.

Since my appointment as Education Minister, I have made the development and implementation of the Early Learning and Childcare Strategy a priority and while I have stated that our ambition should not be limited, it is important that we take time to carefully consider our options and to secure the necessary funding. To that end I plan to meet parents, providers and those with an interest in the strategy, to hear firsthand how best we can meet the developmental needs of young children whilst helping to reduce the cost of childcare.