Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I join with others in welcoming the Ceann Comhairle, Taoiseach, the Government and other colleagues back to the Houses of the Oireachtas. This Government has been in office for the past five months. During the last term we had a great deal of talk about new politics but very little action. It was a "do nothing" Dáil. I hope that the Government is back with a lot of energy to address the problems that face the country.

The Government will be lobbied, and has been already I am sure, in relation to the forthcoming budget. There is one group of people in this country who cannot lobby for themselves - their parents who would be their natural advocates are too stressed to lobby on their behalf - namely, preschool children. As a country we spend approximately one quarter of the OECD average on early child care and education. The Labour Party in government was happy to campaign with Fine Gael to champion and support progress on issues such as area-based programmes, paternity leave and the second early childhood care and education year. However, a lot more needs to be done. We need a step change with regard to preschool.

As members of the Opposition all we know is what we read in the newspapers. In that regard, I understand that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, is proposing a targeted programme to lower income families and that Fine Gael backbenchers are not happy about that and would rather that the squeezed middle be helped. Is there a focus in Government on making this step change in funding quality early years education and will the Taoiseach tell us what proposals the Government is considering? I know that the Taoiseach cannot tell me what is in the budget but can he tell the House the details of the options that are under consideration for the budget with regard to early years education and will he give a clear commitment to this House that child care will receive the step change in investment in the forthcoming budget that it so urgently needs?

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