Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will take Deputy Bruton's points first. Having listened to the sector, we have made significant changes to the document he showed there. He is right. Remember the sector is very wide and the nature of providers is very different. We cannot have a one-size-fits-all approach but that is how we need to understand what is the cost base of that small service down the road operated out of someone's house versus a 100-child large service. We have to get into that detail and we cannot get a one-size-fits-all information. That is why the detailed information has to be obtained from individual services. However, we have listened on that point and a wider review of the administrative burden is taking place at the moment outside of these financial reports. I very much heard the concerns about administrative burden and we are taking actions to reduce it.

In regard to the pay talks, they are still ongoing. I am frustrated. I really thought the new agreement would be in. Because it has not come in, some of the money we dedicated towards removing the three-year rule has to be given back to the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform - from my cold dead hand but that is the way it goes. I urge both sides to get that agreement so that we can have the money that is available, flowing to services so that they can increase pay for staff who richly deserve that increase.

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