Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

The debate on childcare so far has been incredibly bizarre in many ways. We are talking about a sector that in large areas is on the precipice of collapse. There has been a massive increase in the number of early years education, ECCE and childcare providers that have been suffering so much economically that they find it nearly impossible to survive. It is incredible because we have raised this issue repeatedly. I am at times shocked by the fact that the Minister refuses to move on an issue that is so important to the providers, workers, children and parents who are looking for a provider in their local areas. For me, that is the elephant in the room around this particular debate at the moment.

It is not surprising that the Dáil leaves out some of the main elements of what people are experiencing. Much of the debate we have in this Chamber is in a bubble and does not reflect the realities of many people's lives. I cannot overstate how serious this is, however. In 2019, there were 77 net closures; in 2020, there were 70 net closures; in 2021, there were 62 net closures; and last year, there were more than 80 net closures of childcare facilities around the State. These are net closures, which reduces the pool of provision and reduces the options for parents in the country.

These are small businesses that are closing. I note the reference to Mr. Michael Taft. I have good regard for Mr. Taft's economic analysis, but in his analysis, he was looking at the very big providers, which are doing extremely well from the Government's provision of finances. Small providers, however, typically the family businesses around the country, are the ones who are suffering the most. The Government has hit them with a double whammy. It has capped the fees but it will not provide the necessary investment at their level to make sure they are viable. It is incredible because, first of all, many of these individuals have lost businesses into which they put massive personal investment, worked so hard to keep open and into which they put their blood, sweat and tears. I listen to the providers, again, it has to be said, most of whom are women, and they tell me that they have to take out personal loans to keep their businesses afloat. It is incredible that we are talking about, obviously, the positivity of the Government increasing the level of investment, and I recognise the level of investment that has gone in, but there is a refusal and, I will say, stubbornness, in making sure the smaller businesses and smaller providers get the necessary funds to be able to make sure they can function.

It is not alone the providers of childcare or early years education who are suffering in this country. It seems that the sectors in which we place the care of the most precious people in our lives, our children and parents, are those that are the least properly funded and supported by the Government. We know that nursing homes around the country are on the precipice of closure at present. We also know that children in State care are extremely badly serviced by the level of provision of care in that sector. The Minister will know only too well that there are so few places available in State care now that the Government is using these special facilities and special accommodation to provide care for children in State care. These are unregulated and unvetted and are leading to a situation whereby highly vulnerable children are exposed to exploitation. We need to realise as a society that if we want to be able to look after those who are most precious to us in the best way we can, we have to tell providers of care that we will fund them properly, guarantee decent wages and make sure they are viable and feasible. That is not what is happening right across nursing homes to childcare and children in State care at the moment. Two of those areas are in the Department for which the Minister is responsible.

I commend the 4,000 workers and providers who attended the protests outside the Dáil last week. An incredible number of people come up to protest and, again, the vast majority of these were women. They are not coming up for the good of their health. They have been involved in what is now a four-year campaign. That is an arduous task. It is hard for people to have to show up to protests month after month and year after year. It is difficult for them to close down their businesses for a number of days to do that, but they are doing it because wages in many parts of the sector are down as far as the minimum wage. They are closing their businesses because they are in debt. The Minister said last week that it was unwarranted for these workers and providers to go on strike. I really thought there was a chasm between the understanding of the Minister and the reality of these workers. For a Minister on €180,000 per year to say it was unwarranted for staff on the minimum wage to strike for their sector, it seems like there is a disconnect of enormous proportions. It is so important that the Minister meets the sector in a positive, open and listening fashion to make sure-----

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