Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I apologise if I missed it, but what does the Minister expect the timeframe for the review will be? I welcome the review and think it is vital. I really hope that it will be a genuine review and the issues will be taken on board. It is becoming a big difficulty particularly in areas of disadvantage where parents just need a little bit of extra support. They may not be working outside the home, they may not be involved in education but their children have been benefiting for years from after-schools in particular. That is such a vital time because if it is possible to help a child with their education and bring them on through homework that is crucial because it is around where the children start falling through the cracks. They stop doing the homework, they start slipping back, then everything starts going wrong for them all of a sudden and it becomes a question of confidence. Early years intervention should be at the heart of any scheme we do for children, whether childcare or education. We need much greater focus on the children and the benefits for them.

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