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

The Deputy is entirely correct that investment in early learning and childcare is a public good. In recognition of that, very substantial investment has been undertaken by the Government to support the sector during the Covid-19 period, including through payments of €34 million per month under the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS. Every month, this money is invested in childcare services across the country.

We have also recognised wider issues, including the very low rates of pay that staff receive. For this reason, we introduced a joint labour committee, JLC, as an important first step in addressing that issue.

The Deputy rightly raised the issue of the impact of fees on families who are struggling. It is important to see the issues of affordability, sustainability for services, pay and quality as being linked. We have to look at them together and in whatever proposals I bring forward, I will try to link all these issues, and the overarching issue of quality for children, because they are linked and we cannot deal with one without dealing with the others.

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