The Minister for Children said thousands of childminders are unregulated because it would prove challenging to over-regulate arrangements that parents make with friends and neighbours.
However, Frances Fitzgerald told the Dáil that she is considering future arrangements for the sector.
Ms Fitzgerald was commenting after a coalition of over 40 organisations called for mandatory garda vetting of all paid, private childminders and of all other adults in their households.
The Start Strong coalition said it was unacceptable that most of the State's 19,000 non-relative minders are exempt from vetting and any other form of regulation.
