Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I apologise to the Minister. I was in the Dail for questions on promised legislation. I welcome the work the Minister has done. I always say there is a lot done, but a lot more to do. There has been a freeze for many years on childcare providers without a guaranteed ability to increase fees from September. They may well have no option to pull out of core funding. I have spoken to a lot of them. Will the Department engage with industry providers to understand how these providers operate in reality? There are huge concerns, and from speaking to them I can see their concerns. Will the Department provide scope for operators to increase fees from September to avoid a potential mass withdrawal from core funding? Will there be commitments on a release of the free fee freeze, recommended by the report, for one year in year 3?

Does the Department support moves toward a pay scale for childcare workers that reflects market rates and attracts graduate colleagues? That is important because these workers are teachers and we need to make sure we appreciate the work they do. They are educators and teachers. Are there plans to have childcare providers included on the curriculum skills list? That is important. Over the past three or four months, I have met with a lot of young families who emigrated. They left between ten and 12 years ago and have now started families and come home, because they want to come home to rear their families and be with their families for support. They have mortgages and good jobs because they are qualified, but the biggest issue is they cannot get crèche places. They cannot get a childcare space or get their child into a crèche. That is one of the biggest issues I see facing us. I know from speaking with the different crèche owners and providers that they have waiting lists. There are people waiting a year or more.

I compliment all involved in the sector. We are so lucky to have the childcare providers we have and the excellent service they give. However, the biggest issue is that people cannot get a place. We have qualified childcare workers who do an excellent job and have various qualifications - there are different levels with different numbers - but it is causing huge concern for families that they cannot get a place. I know families who are travelling one hour to get a place in a crèche. That is one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening because there is unfortunately no childcare place locally. Does the Minister see this in all the good work he has done?

The work the Minister has done has made huge changes. However, there is still a huge issue within the system. What way does the Minister see this going forward from September? How can we help? What can we do to make sure that we have no family that needs a place in a crèche that cannot get one? That is unacceptable. These are people who go to work every day. They are now asking neighbours, family, friends, grannies, grandads or parents to mind their child because they cannot get their child in anywhere.

I will come back to the Minister with more in a second.