Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

Previously we produced a report on child care expenditure and that scheme. We reported in September 2011 and one of the findings was that the capital expenditure to fund crèches had resulted in excess places being provided. The estimate was that about 15,000 places in excess of the number needed had been provided, at a cost of at least €75 million. In the course of that exercise we looked at the testing done by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to ensure children were turning up because, as Mr. Breathnach pointed out, the payment was made to the crèche service, not the parents. At that stage, Pobal looked at the attendance patter in a particular week. We suggested it was probably necessary to look at a longer period to establish the pattern of attendance underpinning the payments. It is something that could be taken up-----