Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to refer to the surplus and surrender of funding back in 2017 and 2018. As much as €58.7 million in 2017 and €48.5 million in 2016 was returned even though there are waiting lists and there is a demand for the service. In my own constituency people have approached me to start up services. Why was this money not utilised instead of being handed back? Why was it not given to start-ups and new start-ups for childcare? Returning the money does not sound right with the high demand for childcare and scarcity of money. There was money available yet it was handed back instead of giving it to new recruits or start-ups.