Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the changes the Minister is making in the burden being placed on childcare providers. However, it would be remiss not to express the deep frustration many of them feel. I take the point that the Minister must have accountability and transparency for money spent. However, an obligation of this nature to ascertain how he might better spend the money looks to me like taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. There are many other ways to find out the make-up of the cost structure of childcare providers in trying to see how to direct future funding. Many providers feel the money is tight as it is and this was an extraordinary request. I have the documentation here and you would want an accountant to do this. Many of these are not providers on that sort of scale so there needs to be an understanding of the small nature of these businesses and the administrative burden the hive is already creating for them.

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