Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Lee. I now turn to the Department. We are looking at early years childcare in the wrong context. Once profit is introduced, there will be 12 cent noodles and watered-down milk. We need to move away from this completely. This is more a matter for the Department than Tusla. The workers in the sector must be valued. Theirs is one of the most valuable jobs in society. We trust these people with our kids and 99% of them do an excellent job. To be fair, the show highlighted that workers were trying to stand up for the children. It is the activities of the owner and the management that are in question. Those workers need income security and secure contracts so that they are not required to sign on during the summer. It is total chaos and it is not fair. If, as we all say, we want quality affordable accessible early years and childcare, then we need to remove the for-profit aspect. The Department is here on behalf of the Minister so it needs to send her the message that she needs to step up in that regard. Once profit is involved, it will always end in disaster. How do we know that the extra money for the access and inclusion model, AIM, or graduate recruitment is passed on? We do not know that. We must change the whole system. I appreciate that the latter will not be done overnight but I would like to see the Department be stronger in this regard. It is supposed to stand up for children.