Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I thank Deputy Breeda Moynihan-Cronin for affording me the opportunity to update the House again on this issue. I understand that the matter was also raised on the Order of Business.

The equal opportunities child care programme is the Government's key response to the need to develop child care to help to support the needs of parents, with a particular emphasis on those who may be in employment, education or training to prepare for employment. The programme for Government and the progress of the equal opportunities child care programme represent confirmation of the Government's commitment to developing child care services and to keeping child care at the forefront of its social agenda. The EOCP has both an equal opportunities and a social inclusion perspective and aims, among other things, to increase the supply of centre-based child care places by 55% by the programme's end. The broad objectives of the EOCP are to improve the quality of child care, to maintain and increase the number of child care facilities and places and to introduce a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of child care services.

The first meeting of the expert working group on child care established under Partnership 2000 was held within a month of the Government changeover in 1997. I have to say, without any element of rancour, that all the evidence shows that, unlike the case of the previous Government, child care has been high on the agenda of the present Government since that time. The Government has moved consistently, promptly and purposefully to facilitate the development of a top quality child care programme throughout the country. The achievements in child care are a testament to that commitment and have helped in no small way to support the child care needs of parents in employment, education and training as well as helping many parents to break the cycle of disadvantage. Since it was launched in 2000, the total funding package for the 2000 to 2006 phase of the EOCP has increased from €317 million to €499.3 million, or by 57%, the most recent increase being €50 million in additional capital in the budget for 2005. I am grateful to my Government colleague, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, for making that possible.

I contrast that, however, with the sad state of assistance in this area under the previous Government. I can only describe it as very sad.

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