Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for all the work they did in preparing for today and for their opening statements. I have a few questions for different witnesses. I will continue on the matter of childcare.

Capacity is just as important as cost, if not more important at this point. Reducing costs is well and good but if people cannot get a place, it is no good to them. Neither of the two is at all relevant if we do not look at early years educators and school-age care practitioners because if we do not hold the professionals in the sector, we do not need to worry about cost or capacity as we will have no sector at all. The pay element is therefore important and it is concerning not to see a ring-fenced figure in black and white in the budget for our educators. I think it will cause more of them to leave the sector. The turnover figure was mentioned. In some counties, the turnover figure is 30%, 40% or just over 50%. It is alarming.

On capacity, I was taken aback by what was announced in the budget, which was the creation of 2,300 places when we need more than 50,000. The Government will use building blocks grants for extensions to schools and community centres. I found that to be the most baffling of all. Schools cannot get the buildings they need. Is there any agreement with the Department of education for extensions or with community centres? I found it bizarre. I would like to hear particularly from Ms Heeney and Ms McArdle about capacity and what was announced yesterday in the budget. What do they think that will mean for capacity in the weeks and months ahead?