Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Research has shown that a three-year-old from a middle-class advantaged background will have 1,200 words in their vocabulary, while a three-year-old from a disadvantaged background will have 400 words in their vocabulary. Even by the time children are three years old, there is a massive gap in their capability to reach their full potential. This is before we bring in issues such as addiction, housing and intergenerational trauma. We do not have time to waste because we are losing the potential of these incredible children. I appreciate what the Taoiseach is saying but if we were to make these interventions, it would be transformative for these lives. When I raise this, people often say there are children in non-DEIS schools who are disadvantaged. I accept all of this but there is a level of profound problems in some of these schools across the country. One principal told me the school has had to change its route to swimming every week because there is a local feud and there may be a stray bullet that kills a child.

These are the decisions principals have to make that many people in Ireland simply do not comprehend. I ask the Government to give this proposal on the investment that could be made for the potential of these children the respect it deserves and make it happen because we have money. Then we will see in ten or 20 years the benefit that will accrue from this investment at this time.

See this speech in context