Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, I would have thought the Deputy would have been more generous in her commentary in respect of the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and childcare generally. Without question, the last two to three years has witnessed a transformation in the scale of funding to childcare, in particular in terms of workers within the childcare sector, when the joint labour committee, JLC, agreement was arrived at, which was accepted by the social partners as a very significant breakthrough, as well as when one adds the fees freeze last year and the allocation which resulted in a 25% reduction. These are very significant progressive decisions the Government has taken and the Minister has initiated and pushed.

We are in a round of budget negotiations now. As Deputy Whitmore is aware, we have tabled an overall budget increase of some €5.5 odd billion in Government expenditure. I believe the Social Democrats have tabled an increase in spending of about €17.4 billion.

See this speech in context