Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Yes. Some really good work is being done under those programmes. If the Minister can mainstream them and have the same good work done in other places, that is fine, but we are talking about targeted poverty programmes. We are dealing with some of the most disadvantaged children. Addressing child poverty is crucial in terms of equal opportunity. We should come back to this issue as a committee at some stage to see what is happening. I have seen some fabulous programmes, including in my constituency, but there is a particular one in Dublin of which I am thinking. It gets women to sign up when they are pregnant and follows them through the child's early years. I have not seen that happen anywhere outside of ABC programmes. Some very good things are being done in addressing the most disadvantaged children who are at great risk of poverty. It would be a shame to lose out on that work.