Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. The "Prime Time" programme is the reason we are here. Everyone who watched it was absolutely horrified. It is the worst nightmare of a parent with a child in preschool. It was also very distressing to child care providers providing a good service. What struck me about the presentation is that all of the witnesses identified the same problems and the key issues that must be addressed. These include low salaries, the lack of a full year, training and development, poor management, lack of supervision, and the need for better qualifications, although I agree that qualifications do not necessarily make people suitable. It is not in everyone's nature to love kids and to do this job, one must love kids.

Providers in some of the facilities cater for too many children. Smaller groups are more homely and more loving. We also need a register of qualified child care providers, more robust quality inspections and publication of the inspection reports.

A child care provider came into my constituency office who has not been inspected since 2009. This person phoned to ask if someone could carry out an inspection but was told the inspector only works 18 hours and did not have the time to do so. It is outrageous. There are some 37.8 whole-time equivalent inspectors. If this is to be brought to a head, the number of inspectors will have to be increased. Does the Department have the funding to do so?