Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Federation of Early Childhood Providers launched this morning a report on voices from the front-line service providers. It identifies key challenges and opportunities for Ireland's early learning and care, ELC, and school-age childcare, SAC, sectors. Will the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth please engage with and listen to them? They are under enormous pressure. I was involved in setting up a naíonra in Caisleán Nua and I salute the management and staff there and all the groups around the country. The Minister seems to have gone for all the big industries here and the major chains, and the small groups are threatened and squeezed and unable because of his policies. They are not able and they are losing control of their own units. Without those services, families will not be able to work, and we know there is pressure on workers and families, so they will not be able to go to work. I also understand from some of them today outside the gates - and they were in great spirits, albeit very sad and downbeat - that the Minister threatened to cut their funding if they came and protested. We live in a democracy. Will the Minister please support these people and not demonise them?

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