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

I thank the Deputy and the Minister. I also wish to acknowledge the work that has been done by the Minister and his Department. It definitely has not been easy. I am glad that the Minister referenced the €400 payment because there are probably people who have questions about that but who do not wish to ask them because they are not actually looking for the money and do not want to seem like they are. I will ask one or two brief questions about that.

Will the €400 be paid to people who are providing a room for two people and those who are providing a full house? Is there a difference or is there just one €400 payment?

I wish to raise a matter I also raised on the day we were discussing the issue in the Dáil, which relates to people who want to work in the early years sector. We know staff are needed in that sector but those people are coming across an issue with Garda vetting. They have all the relevant qualifications. I am not trying to suggest there should not be Garda vetting; of course there should be. However, can something be done in that regard?

Many schools are taking on Ukrainian children but there is a unique situation in my son's school, which is a Gaelscoil, and which has taken on two Ukrainian students. There are Ukrainian children starting in fourth class in a Gaelscoil. There are obviously many challenges but, at the same time, I love that story because it means total integration of language and cultures. Children are left to be children. The Ukrainian children in question are trying to grapple with both English and Irish but, at the same time, they are absolutely flying it. It is a nicer story. There are lots of mixed stories and experiences out there but I wanted to put that story on the record because I thought it was lovely. One might not have expected that children from Ukraine would start in a Gaelscoil, particularly as we are coming towards the end of the primary school year. That is a good and welcome step. It is what integration should be about. My questions, therefore, relate to childcare, early years workers and the €400 payment.