Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations and apologise for having had to leave the room for a few minutes. Everybody has mentioned the shocking effect the "Prime Time" programme had. I could not understand where other people were at the time the filming was going on and why they did not step in. It does not make sense to me. If I am in a room where a child is being abused, I do not care whether I am filming or not, I step in.

I reared my children preschool in a parish playschool and received a wonderful service. It was a friendly place where children were brought into an atmosphere which involved parents and where teachers were qualified to be there. There was something different about it then. There was a gentle touch with people who were in preschool. They had a way of dealing with children. It was not about the paperwork. One can have all of the certificates one likes, but if one does no have the gentle touch and a good reason to be there, one is not doing one's job. Child care is a very important profession. One can have all the degrees in the world, but if one does not have the ability to be able to cope with snotty-nosed kids and puts children standing in a corner, one loses the effect of what child care is all about. One of the most significant problems is the larger professional organisations that have come into child care and have 130 children in some facilities. How, in God's name, can one manager in a building be responsible for that many children and what level of care can be provided?

There are many good people working in child care. I know many small, private and community child-care facilities where excellent work is being done. I was very impressed by what Ms Gunning said about children being part of a place where there were only 30 or 33 in a class. When one goes outside those numbers, one loses the whole point of putting children into pre-school. I have every sympathy for parents who have to work, but leaving children in school from 7.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. is wrong. No child should be in any place for 12 hours. I have a grandchild who will not stay in one room for five minutes.

Arising from the Minister's contribution, I have a question. She said her Department is examining measures to support training in line with the increased qualifications requirement. Could she expand on that? It was the most important thing she said this afternoon.

I need to know what is meant by examining measures. I have a great grá for community child care facilities and there are wonderful examples around the country. They are doing a wonderful job and many of them involve parents completing FETAC courses. They provide wonderful child care and it is incorrect for the committee to give the impression that child care in the local parish does not matter; it does.