Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on an issue that is of increasing concern. I also acknowledge the contacts and correspondence that I have received from community child care groups from throughout the southern region. The proposed restructuring of the community child care provision will result in a radical change of the existing scheme. An independent examination shows that additional charges will be placed on parents, additional operational costs for community child care providers must be recouped locally and a reduction in services and possible closure of some child care facilities will arise from this measure. Furthermore, it will reduce the social flexibility and mobility that is built into the service at present and which I consider one of its key aspects. Were this to be lost, it would undermine completely the concept of community child care in the broad conception of what constitutes a community. It will also make it practically impossible to maintain those standards that have been developed in recent years and the proposal deliberately sets out to undermine them.

The irony in this regard is that the funding that has been made available at both national and European level has facilitated the emergence from the Dark Ages of child care in Ireland. Child care facilities in the communities are now in a no-win situation whereby they will become victims of their success due to the social mobility fostered within them. The Government's proposals contain two fundamental flaws, which are also mirrored in its amendment before the House. If one examines the operation of community child care, the biggest group is the mid-tier group, which is being removed. Had the sector been examined properly, it would have been discerned that most service providers are now included within the tier that will be penalised. Second, although the Government claims it is investing €153 million in the sector, that sum is mere pie in the sky. As one must be in the classification one category to draw down the aforementioned €153 million under the new funding structure, that sum is a nonsense.

The Government would have been better off had it left the system as it was and simply invested a few pounds more. The system was not broken but required improvement. In effect, the Government proposes to create what local providers are calling a ghettoisation of the service. It will drive out working parents on low incomes who will be penalised by no longer being able to avail of community child care in their localities. I commend those in this sector who are conducting this campaign. The measure of its success is demonstrated by the manner in which the Government is becoming watery on the issue. This will be reflected in the Chamber tonight by the number of Fianna Fáil Members who will perform a Pontius Pilate act on the Minister on this issue.

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