Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 5 October 2021
Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth
Regulation and Funding Issues Facing Workers in the Early Years Sector: Discussion
Ms Gillian O'Connor:
I will reiterate that from our point of view, after-schools are not childcare. They are an equality measure aimed at reducing the gap of educational disadvantage and we do not believe that children should need referral to go to their community centre or into their after-school club, or sponsorship to play with their friends, do their homework or to be able to develop and reach their potential.