Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach has not answered the question. I was not asking about a family member, a grandmother or anyone else, minding a child out of kindness, rather I was asking about childminders, people who are qualified to do so. On the scheme the Government has implemented, it was announced yesterday that only Tusla-run child care centres would be included; therefore, the Government is excluding a huge number of parents, particularly those with more than one child, where it would be more economical for them to have a childminder minding two or three children. The Taoiseach did not prioritise children. This is the first Government in a long time which has not increased child benefit in a budget, as has been remarked on. Who advised the Taoiseach on the budget? Was it Michael O'Leary, whom he invited to the Fine Gael think-in-----

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