Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important that we do not raise unnecessary fears among parents. We all know that parents take very careful decisions on the care of their children. The vast majority - 70% - of parents make the decision that their child should be looked after by a childminder. On the other hand, we know that it is very important to be vigilant. If parents have questions or see something they do not like, they should link in with the child care committee, the inspections system or ECI to ask questions of providers. Publishing the reports online will certainly help. The other issues we have spoken about in relation to training are also important. Parents make careful decisions but their confidence will have been shaken. I am sure the parents who had their children in the services in the facilities in question felt that they had made the very best decision for their child. I am sure the confidence of every parent has been shaken by what they have seen and heard. Perhaps, people had not realised that there were the kinds of issues we have been discussing as to how the sector developed and the catching up that falls to be done at this point. As Gordon Jeyes said, there is a large shopping list of issues that need addressing. We are working on them and I hope I have given an indication of the dates of the various changes which are under way. The early years strategy will give us the overview later in the year.