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

I thank Deputy Funchion for bringing forward the motion. Like her and Deputies Sherlock and Mitchell, who contributed earlier, I sat on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs. Deputy Connolly is correct that I have been very outspoken on this matter. There are so many reactions I would like to give, having read the motion and understanding the programme for Government in depth. I am sure the Minister would like to respond to all the Deputies who contributed because he will have an answer for each of them individually.

I begin with the final Deputy to speak, Deputy Pringle, who took a negative tone that I do not think contributes to the spirit of where the Minister and I will be coming from within the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. I might remind the Deputy of what happened last September, when an expert group was formed to consider the best funding model for childcare in Ireland. Its report is due at the end of the year and we all welcomed the expert group's formation at the time. The needle has been moved because of Covid-19. I want to see the findings and the report of the group, because it will include the advice of international experts and will consider international best practices in recommending a new model. I will leave it at that.

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