Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

From her previous experience the Deputy is aware of the importance of the outcome of investment in early years education. It impacts on children to their advantage into adulthood. It is important that we get it right. That is why the focus of the scheme proposed is targeted at those on low incomes to get them out of unemployment and give them an opportunity to avail of affordable and appropriate child care. It will expand as the economy improves and more money becomes available.

However, everybody knows that this is a real challenge for working people, which is why we have paternity leave and a second free preschool year and the focus of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is on streamlining the various schemes in place to make them affordable, appropriate and accessible for parents, while, at the same time, providing an opportunity to seek employment. Moving people out of the lower income bracket in which many find themselves is a challenge that become more real every day.

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