Ms Teresa Heeney:

I would like to re-emphasise some key points. In preparing its report, the committee needs in the first instance to set out what we believe early childhood education is for and whom it is for. If we decide it is about providing excellent opportunities to children to have excellent experiences in the first six years of their lives, that tells us about the fact that children do better when at home for their first year, for example. I would like the members to imagine whether it is acceptable for children to arrive in early childhood settings at 6.45 a.m. in their pyjamas. This happened this morning in many settings. Six-month-old children arrived this morning to the care setting in their pyjamas and will be there all day before they are picked up at 6 p.m. If that is not what we want for children - I do not believe anybody believes it is what we want for our youngest children - it tells us we need to invest in one year, at least, of parental leave. What is the system for and whom is it for?

If we think the system needs to be predictable and provide, on a blanket basis, high-quality experiences for all the children, it means we must listen to what the evidence tells us about having highly qualified staff who are remunerated well and motivated to stay in the sector. These factors all add up when one thinks about whom the system is for and if one places children at the centre.

If we want to ensure experiences are predictable and always of high quality, it means we need to monitor the services properly, inspect them regularly and ensure training and professional development are available at all times for the staff.

I would like to finish by reverting to Senator Byrne. I would want there to be no sense that we have in any way criticised the SNA programme in County Meath.