Ms Frances Byrne:

Yes. I hope that Senator McGreehan can hear me thanking her. It would be welcome if the committee would take on this issue. It may not look like a direct child poverty issue, but what concerns us, as I tried to make clear in our opening statement, is that we will have a situation from next September, potentially, and nobody is monitoring this, where families will have sponsorship agreements in place. As committee members and colleagues from the other organisations will be aware, that is not necessarily a straightforward thing. While those families will have sponsorship agreements, we are concerned that they may not be able to get a place. That impacts all children from all backgrounds, but obviously if these sponsorships are being given by Tusla, or whatever organisation or agency, to families because of disadvantage and if no are places available, then that obviously has an immediate as well as a long-term impact on the children concerned and their families. Therefore, the support of the committee in this regard would be very welcome.

All kinds of statistics and facts are collected weekly by Pobal on behalf of the Department concerning attendance and all kinds of things in a similar vein, and all we are asking is that providers would have a way of reporting in when they have decided to close a room. Sometimes those decisions have a positive impact. It may mean more room for toddlers, for example. However, we are concerned because no one is overseeing or monitoring that aspect and we do not have the same kind of planning for places in Ireland as exists in other areas. We have noted an increase in providers telling us that they are making these decisions, and they are making them for economic reasons. Therefore, this is not about blaming providers whatsoever. All we are saying is that if somebody was tracking that information and if the Department could then come up with a response, that would be welcome.

I know Senator McGreehan did aim this point at us, but on the question of individualisation, I completely agree with Ms Ward. We would describe it as a holistic approach. It is a different term, but we are talking about the same thing. We see it every day. This is part of quality care and education. It involves considering the whole picture of children and their families and the system needs to do that as well. Again, other countries get this aspect right, where it is seen that family support and quality childcare is required by some families more than others. Much of the time, the systems in place in those countries spark into action when a woman is pregnant and not after the child is born. There is no reason, given proper planning and investment, that we could not do the same. I completely agree that this issue should be seen through a child poverty lens.