The aim of this project was to provide a greater understanding of quality in the Irish context and in particular to access multiple perspectives on the meaning of quality within a variety of ECCE settings in Ireland. In mid-2004, the Centre for Social and Educational Research (CSER) was contracted to conduct the research on behalf of the CECDE. This report is an Executive Summary of the overall research report, which is accessible on www.cecde.ie. This project aimed to primarily focus on the issue of defining and understanding quality in the ECCE sector according to the perspectives, experiences and approaches adopted by all key stakeholders including policy makers, key personnel currently driving quality initiatives at both national and regional levels, early childhood practitioners, parents and children. It gathered data from a variety of ECCE settings, both sessional and full day care, which cater for children from birth to six years. In addition, the research included samples of children from both designated disadvantaged and non-designated disadvantaged areas. (author abstract)