Ms Frances Byrne:

In response to Deputy O’Dowd, from the point of view of Early Childhood Ireland, we agree completely with our colleagues on the funding model and workforce development, and we would link both of them. The Department was embarking on very welcome nationwide consultations about that with the sector when Covid struck, and it needs to be the first priority of the new Government. We need increased investment. It is very welcome to see it in the programme for Government but we need to see the detail. We need to get to that Scandinavian level, which probably means spending about four times more than we are now.

Last but not least, that single agency which is mentioned in the programme for Government needs to get off the ground. At the moment, our members report to seven different agencies and Departments, which is not good. It is more fragmentation and it is appalling value for money for the Irish public.