Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I absolutely will ask the Minister. Knowing him and how he likes the coastline and everything else, I would say he will be snapping at the Deputy's heels to visit west Cork. I will take up the issue with the Minister on that basis.

The Deputy mentioned St. Mary's and the wonderful work it does, along with the 4,200 other childcare providers throughout the country. They are phenomenal in the work they do. The Deputy has raised this issue on the record previously. I will certainly bring it back to the Minister. To be very fair to him, he has at all times listened to the exact space about which the Deputy has talked, that is, in respect of ECCE providers who provide that sessional space. That is why he brought in administrative support of approximately €4,000. It is why he set the baseline for an ECCE provider who has only five or six children attending. The baseline ensures viability that means no provider has to close. He has put in the base layer of approximately €8,000. I will bring back to him all the Deputy's concerns and will relay his request for a meeting in west Cork.

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