Recent Policy Developments in Early Childhood Education (ECE): A jigsaw with too many pieces?

In recent years, there have been a myriad of policy and practice developments in the field of early childhood education (ECE). These developments emanate from a range of government departments and agencies, including the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA), the Department of Education and Skills (DES), and the Child and Family Agency (TUSLA). This paper examines recent key policy developments and profiles the government departments and agencies responsible for their development and implementation. One of the key conclusions is that a clearer vision is needed for the sector to ensure that policies are coherent, consistent and manageable for those with a responsibility for their enactment