Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister very much for that response, which I appreciate. I am not going to ask her for an answer on this today, but I implore her to consider really going to bat for a second targeted children's allowance in this budget. That would be a surefire way to make a significant impact on the experiences of children and young people in this country. If we could see that coming from Government, that would be a really progressive step forward as part of budget 2026.

There is another issue, although hopefully I will have the time to raise two more. I would like to very quickly draw to the Minister's attention the idea of emergency accommodation, specifically for children and young people going through the asylum and refugee processes in the State. We have concerns with regard to health and safety, their lived experiences and the minimum standards that might be absent. Again, I am not going to ask the Minister for an answer on that but just draw her attention to it. I am concerned that it is not just a Department of justice issue, and that we could see collaboration and interdepartmental work on that to ensure that for the time children experience direct provision or emergency accommodation, those experiences are positive and fruitful and that their rights and their development are really prioritised in whatever the Minister can do in that regard.

This is the last issue because I am conscious that I am probably running out of time. I am like a broken record with the Minister, and I respect the many positive and constructive engagements we have had in a short period on early years education and childcare.

Notwithstanding the very positive start the Minister has made and the Department's continued work, I still believe a special time-bound committee on the future of childcare and early years education is warranted now more than ever before. We are seeing record Government investment and yet we are still seeing really significant issues with access and recruitment and retention. I urge the Minister and the Government to consider a special time-bound committee. Our committee has many other things to pursue. If such a committee could work towards a Sláintecare approach, as was taken with healthcare, and plot out a series of recommendations for the future of early years education and childcare in this term, that is something we could all be very proud of.