Every paid, non-relative childminder will need to be registered with Tusla, under new regulations being proposed by the Children's Minister.
There are currently just 81 Tusla-registered childminders, out of thousands working in the sector.
Under the new plans, exemptions for registration will only apply to relatives.
The new action plan also proposes that parents who use childminders will have access to a Government subsidy.
A public consultation on the proposals has now been launched.
Minister Katherine Zappone says childminders will have to have certain qualifications in the future.
She explained: "We don't know what those qualifications are yet - this is one of the key aspects of the public consultation.
"We're not going to say 'you have to have X [qualification] - we know that's of deep concern to the childminding sector, that somehow we're not acknowledging the value of experience etc...
"At the same time, we want to make sure that what we ultimately put in place allows them to continue to stay with us."
