Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Today, the committee is holding its second session to consider the issue of affordable and high-quality child care. The committee has identified this issue as a priority in its work programme. Deputy McLellan is our rapporteur on the issue and she has engaged in significant work on our behalf. The child care sector faces a number of challenges. These include the increasing costs faced by families for child care; conditions, accreditation and training for child care workers; and increasing regulation and funding issues. As part of our hearings, and including Deputy McLellan's report, the committee will prepare a report to be published in the autumn. I welcome Ms Michelle Akerlind, Cork Early Childhood Centre; Ms Paula Grogan Ryan, Tipperary Early Childhood Ireland; Ms Evelyn Reilly, Maynooth-Kilcock Early Childhood Ireland; Ms Paula Donoghue, Clever Clogs Montessori and Daycare, Ballyconnell, County Cavan; and Ms June Tinsley, assistant director and head of advocacy at Barnardos. They are all welcome to the meeting and I thank them for attending.

I apologise for being late in beginning but we had a great deal of private business to deal with. I advise the witnesses that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given. They are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. Members are reminded of the long-standing ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I welcome everyone again and I thank them for their presence and for the work they are doing. I am conscious that we have two other meetings and, therefore, I ask witnesses to confine their remarks to five minutes. I ask Ms Akerlind to make her opening remarks.