Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the amendment. While amendment No. 12 was ruled out of order, I agree with what I see in amendment No. 13. There was a great deal of debate on this on Committee Stage. Deputy Mitchell used the serious word "stability" which is what I was looking for when we sat on Committee Stage. I wanted to ensure that children could complete their term time. I spoke about Halloween, Christmas and Easter and the need for children to feel they reached a conclusion and were the same as everyone else if situations changed and they had to leave a service where the section 14 time was up. In child care settings, it is all about the annual celebrations during term time whether that is Halloween preparations for witches, Christmas preparations for Santa or Easter preparations for the Easter bunny. Child care providers create that setting so well and children participate in it. Every child needs to feel included because that is what providers work for through the Síolta and Aistear schemes. It is all about completing the programme of work. They always finish it with a bang or a party so that children feel into it. That is what I wanted to express in my contribution on Committee Stage. I felt very passionate about children getting the chance, regardless of circumstance, to complete. I thank the Minister of State for acknowledging it and including it. There was a robust debate on Committee Stage. I thank the Minister's colleagues in the Department who came back with this amendment. It is welcome from a child's perspective and a useful one to make.

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