Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Earlier this week, the Minister with responsibility for children, disability, equality and integration, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, told fellow Ministers he was undertaking a root and branch review of childcare services to support the delivery of affordable and high-quality school-age early learning. I sincerely hope this Minister grasps that matter. In addressing this review, the Minister stated "the review is to look at the existing structures that administer childcare in the country" and "these have developed in a very ad hocmanner, with county childcare committees and so on". Before the Minister undertakes any review, he would want to be briefed on the county childcare committees' defined remit in supporting the roll-out of the national childcare policy, as directed by various Departments from Billy to Jack over the years as Governments moved them around, with very little funding or pay. That is instead of having well-funded quangos set up as middle men. I sincerely hope this well-funded system is delivered and when it comes, the Minister will start with administrators on the ground, who have delivered complex programmes across the country with little reward. They do not need these ill-judged remarks. I look forward to debating the report with the Minister in this House.