Ms Frances Byrne:

I thank the Chair and the members of the committee. I echo what colleagues have said. This is a welcome opportunity. Early Childhood Ireland is delighted that members of this committee and the former committee of which the Chair was a member really understand what Ms Ward has described as the great enabler, which equality in early years care, education and after-school care, including childminding, can be for all children. Hopefully, when we write in to formally thank the committee, we will request the Chair to raise the issue of monitoring closures in real-time in order to get some data and to look at the reasons behind the closures so that a policy response can be developed by the Department in conjunction with stakeholders such as this committee, our organisations and others.