Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, Deputy Zappone, for being in the Chamber to take this Topical Issue matter.

My constituency of Dublin Mid-West, very much like the neighbouring constituency of the Minister, Dublin South-West, has a growing population. Its population has increased by more than 5% between the censuses in 2011 and 2016. Moreover, very significant construction activity is finally beginning to take place. There is also an increase in the number of people back at work but unfortunately, too many of them are in precarious or low-paid work. They are, nonetheless, back at work and all of this means a growing demand for childcare.

Currently in Dublin Mid-West, there is significant new construction in Adamstown, Newcastle, Rathcoole and Clondalkin. I am getting increasing numbers of representations from working families, often where both parents are working, who find it a real struggle to even get access to childcare, let alone to afford it. Many of our community-run childcare facilities are at capacity, certainly in their morning sessions, and are almost at full capacity in the afternoons. There was one unfortunate case recently, which is ongoing, of a private sector operator and the service provider changed following a competitive tender. The new service provider discovered that in fact the service they had inherited had more children in it than recommended by the Tusla guidelines. As a consequence, the new provider is now restricting some of the service to meet the Tusla guidelines. This has highly negative consequences for parents with the withdrawal of collections, drop-offs and so on. This speaks to a very high level of demand and unfortunately not an adequate level of supply.

I am aware that these pressures exist in many parts of the country but Dublin Mid-West is unique in that it has two strategic development zones. I believe we are the only constituency in the State that has those, with anything as much as 6,000 to 7,000 additional accommodation units to be provided in Adamstown over the coming years. The Clonburris strategic development zone, following An Bord Pleanála's determination, could have between 8,000 and 11,000 units of accommodation over the next decade. Kilcarbery, a council site and a joint venture in Clondalkin will have more than 1,000 units. Only yesterday at its full council meeting, South Dublin County Council announced a significant increase in potential accommodation units in Rathcoole. Many of those units will start to be built next year or the year after that. While we have a very low level of community childcare provision - only 10% of the quantum available - whether it is the community end or the private end, it cannot happen or develop without the active support of the Minister and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

Today I am interested to hear what the Minister has to say, albeit not on the overall State-wide figures, because I have seen some of those in replies to parliamentary questions. What can the Minister tell Deputies from Dublin Mid-West and to the parents who make representations to us? As our community expands, I welcome affordable, social housing and appropriately-priced private housing to meet the existing and future needs of our community. What is being done by the Minister, her Department and her officials and what will they do to work with community providers, private providers, the local authority and other networks in Dublin Mid-West to ensure the current unmet need will be met? As our community and constituency grows, what will be the future Government investments in childcare strategies to meet the needs of the growing population, including a growing population of working families with children?

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