A high level group of civil servants begins work today on a more integrated way to fund childcare in Ireland.

It's been set up by the Minister for Children and is expected to report by by the summer.

The group is being tasked with putting together a 'whole of government' approach, rather than the current one which ranges across many plans like child benefit, the pre-school year and childcare subvention.

Minister James Reilly spoke to Lunchtime today about the funding to childcare. He also spoke about the second free pre-school year: "We've guaranteed that it will be in by 2020.

"This will be one of the issues that the group will examine in detail."

You can listen to the interview here: