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

I congratulate the Minister on his new appointment. I hope the approach he will take will have the same energy and wisdom which he brought to his last portfolio. As a doctor and a father, he knows too well the difficulties children face and the urgent need to address these.

I welcome the establishment of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes, as well as the appointment of its chair. An awful evil was inflicted on many young mothers and children in the past. Yesterday, across the water, we were brought into a different realm with reports of widespread child abuse inflicted by family members, service providers, doctors, teachers and others close to children. Sometimes the voice of abused children is not heard. The Minister must work on behalf of all children.

I welcome that the breakdown of funding for individual family resource centres will be forwarded to me.

I ask that it include the number of staff involved and the cost. What training is offered to the clients who use the family resource centre and how many participate in training programmes? It may not be possible to provide an answer for that question today.

In regard to question No. 21 and the second preschool year, as the report states clearly, the current preschool programme is a huge success. Unfortunately, however, it is a question of money. When we had money, we should have done much more to facilitate young parents who have huge mortgages with a second preschool year. I urge the Minister to pursue budget provision for a second free preschool year, perhaps on a phased basis. Every parent to whom I speak attests to the success of the programme and reports indicate that children's education and development are significantly enhanced by it.