James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I was not given any notice this morning that the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, was not going to be in attendance. It is the normal procedure that I would be. That is disappointing. I want to put that on the record of the House. I have always been informed if the Minister or a Minister of State from the Department cannot attend. I am sure the Minister of State present will bring what is said here back to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman.

I wish to raise a very serious problem that has come from flooding that occurred in my constituency and that of Deputy Stanton, who is with me in the Chamber this morning. Approximately 100 children in our constituency in the area of Midleton have lost their childcare provider through no fault of the provider but through devastating flooding that occurred for the first time, in scale and nature, where that premises is located. Tír Cluain estate, where this childcare provider is located, is just next to the Owenacurra River and was devastated. Unfortunately, due to the flooding that occurred, the damage is going to take a very significant amount of time to repair. This is a very unusual situation. If it was a primary school, the State would intervene immediately because primary and secondary schools are under the care of the Department of Education. Because we are dealing with a privately run crèche, which is very common across our childcare system, there is this bit of an issue around how they can get direct support from the State. They can apply for the business support scheme, which has been greatly improved since Storm Babet. However, the issues around Tusla and making sure a new temporary location is found are very difficult challenges for anyone to deal with when a natural disaster happens like the flood that occurred.

My asks are very simple. I ask the Department of children to actually talk directly to the crèche operators, the community involved and the Minister, because they need that support. I have to be complimentary of my other colleagues who are at the Cabinet table. I am thinking of the Ministers, Deputies Humphreys, Coveney and McGrath, the Tánaiste and Taoiseach, and the Minister, Deputy Ryan, who made time in their schedules to come and see for themselves the scale of the damage within days of it occurring. What I would ask is that this is shown similar care and urgency by the Department of children on entirely legitimate grounds. I am thinking of those families, as is Deputy Stanton, who have been so badly affected. Now they are having to find alternative forms of childcare, which is very difficult and incredibly expensive. There are those who cannot do so and who have had to give up working hours or find alternative arrangements with family members. It is a huge burden for any family to be dealing with, with children who are at such a young age.

I also reference the fact that we have Tusla involved. There have to be very serious procedures and licensing involved with any crèche operating. On an emergency, temporary basis, we need to find a safe location. The State should help in this situation. It is entirely on the grounds of how rare an occurrence it is given the scale, with in excess of 100 children in this facility. Unfortunately, parents in the Midleton area who are affected are at a loss because of this. It is through no fault of the operators or owners of the building. It is because of the flooding that occurred, which had not happened in this nature or at this scale at the location before.

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