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

Earlier this year, the Minister had hoped to introduce a second preschool year in this year. I am glad she has come around to my way of thinking because I had articulated and identified the existence of quality concerns in respect of the entire preschool and early year setting. I am glad this issue is being tackled because quality child care is a necessity, not a luxury, and it is imperative that quality child care be available. When I raised this issue last April, the Minister spoke of how, as growth returns to the economy, consideration can be given to subsidising child care. However, we lack a clear pathway, framework and strategy as to how this will be done, apart from the Minister stating her hope that a second preschool year would be introduced in the coming years. This is the reason a cost analysis of child care should be conducted to examine precisely how child care will be subsidised in the future. It is not right that 55% of young people aged between 20 and 49-----

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