Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the people outside the gate today, a lovely peaceful protest by workers in small childcare facilities, mainly from rural areas, along with parents and some páistí as well. Earlier the Taoiseach gave a very glib answer, saying that there was only a small crowd of them there. They are very passionate about what they do and they are being treated terribly. The core model of one size fits all is not working, as I said to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, last week. They are on the first day of a three-day strike. They love what they do and are passionate about it. They do not want to be up here with the parents protesting but they have no other choice. It will have a huge impact, especially in rural villages. I met a group from Ballynacarrigy in Westmeath there today. It is small villages like that. In the surrounding ones, three of them have closed. It is the same in Tipperary. They are under pressure and will disappear.

Rural villages and rural communities are going to be affected. Families in those areas need the childcare services to continue their work, their own business or whatever else. It is a hammer blow. Dismissing them as a small number or only one organisation is not going to get very far. I appeal for a debate in this House.

See this speech in context