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

I take on board the Deputy's point about the AIM scheme. We have put additional funding into it this year because it has been successful, but there is a lack of joined-up thinking. We hope that the transfer of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and the area of disability issues to my Department will give us the opportunity to focus on children and consider disability throughout all life stages. We can do much better in terms of joined-up thinking.

The Deputy rightly identified the issue of pay. A joint labour committee, JLC, gives us an opportunity to enhance pay in this sector. I will do whatever I can to support the work of bringing together a JLC process.

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