Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her reply and for including my home town, Mullingar, in the first pilot. It was welcome news.

Are the 500 places announced on 29 April filled or is it the case that they were announced and it will be a number of weeks before they are filled? When the original scheme was announced, there was talk of a pilot but not of a second pilot. The Minister spoke about a second pilot. Will the second pilot involve a further 500 places or will it be more? Will there be a third pilot and will we see the scheme fully implemented by September of this year?

What level of consultation did the Minister's Department have with the various county child care committees that will have to implement this scheme? A number of county child care committees have told me that the level of consultation was minimal. Also, is it the Minister's intention to fully regulate the after-school sector under the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 2006?

See this speech in context