Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

Anybody currently involved with child care facilities, particularly those which are community based, knows that the funding available is simply not adequate in order to facilitate the provision of services. Many not-for-profit community child care facilities throughout the country are in serious financial difficulty and require additional funding. A nod towards the existence of this problem would be the reinstatement of capitation payments to the previous level. In light of the recovery about which we have been hearing every hour of every day in recent months, surely this area is the one in which we should start reinstating what previously obtained. The Minister referred to the need for future investment to be evidence based. There is clear evidence to show that investing money in educating young children gives rise to huge payback. Will the Minister reinstate the capitation rate which obtained in 2011?

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