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

I will begin with some of the positives. I welcome that there was recognition of the early years childcare sector in the budget. I also welcome that the Minister is in the Chamber. It is the first time I have ever responded to a budget where the relevant Minister has been present, which is welcome. However, I am disappointed that the measure will not be introduced until September. I worry about the joint labour committee, JLC, talks process. I hope this can be looked at. From my background in a union, I know that JLC talks can go on for a lot longer than anyone envisages. They can have breakdowns at times. It is very important that the issue of wages for workers in the sector is not solely reliant on this. I would liked to have seen a wage scale introduced, starting at the living wage. I would like fees to be reduced now. I welcome that it is a step in the right direction. I am worried that next September will mean January 2023 before we see any real changes. This is something on which we will need to keep a close eye.

I welcome the changes for the after-school cohort. However, parents who are not working still fall outside this. I have raised this issue with the Minister on a number of occasions. It is something on which I would like to get more information. The press conference the Department did was not livestreamed, which we thought it would be. We will have to table parliamentary questions on some of these issues.

As well as the issues of childcare and early years, I want to raise an issue in general that will be very relevant in my constituency and many other areas. This is fuel poverty. While there was an increase in the fuel allowance, many families do not qualify for it and are really struggling. They face a difficult winter. It was disappointing not to see something done for them. We are pushing families not just into fuel poverty but into all sorts of other poverty when we do not give them help or assistance with it. There is much more I could say but unfortunately I only have two and a half minutes. We might come back to some of the other questions.

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