Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I would also like to pay tribute to parents and children. When the childcare providers and schools closed their doors in March, many parents were juggling working full-time while caring for their children at home. For children, growing up during the pandemic has meant missing school and friends. This has been a profoundly difficult time for everybody but both parents and children have shown real resilience and compassion since this crisis began.

I am pleased that Government has been able to support providers since they were closed by Covid and particularly as they reopen their services. I also refer to what a majority of childcare providers are saying regarding the lifeline that the financial supports to date are providing to the sector and that the continuance of these supports will help them to bring their business back to full health.

The Covid pandemic has undoubtedly been extremely difficult for the early years sector, coming as it did after a number of challenges in 2019. My Department has provided tailored supports for the sector to try to reduce the impact on service sustainability as much as possible. The most recent package of €75 million provided for services reopening from 29 June, including access to the Revenue's temporary wage subsidy scheme to cover up to 85% of staff wages; reactivation of Department of Children and Youth Affairs childcare schemes; a capital grant to assist with purchase of equipment or minor capital works-----

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