Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome that we are able to increase capacity. The baby rooms and the toddler rooms, as the Minister says, are where the new need is arising and coming on stream.

We have an under supply of childcare in many areas within my constituency. Newcastle is a prime example of that where many parents are not able to get their children into childcare providers and, therefore, cannot go back to work or must make alternative arrangements.

As the Minister said, this funding was also there to help support people who want to make a career in childcare. It is so important that we make careers in childcare attractive because that is a strong workforce that we absolutely need. That is particularly true in Dublin which, I am sure the Minister will appreciate, is an expensive place for those childcare workers to live.

Childcare workers provide an essential service that we could not do without and that deserves recognition. I thank the Minister and the Department for providing that recognition through this core funding model.

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