Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As a father and grandparent, I know that early years learning and childcare is a necessity, but in my experience and that of families around me, getting childcare is next to impossible. That is why I will support the motion. Currently, two people in a household have to work in order to survive, and then they have to try to get childcare for their children, which is a massive cost. People are now thinking they might be better off at home, not working, and they might then be able to take care of their children. This is because, when they leave the financial side out of it, they go to work and work hard, come home, collect their children and when they look at their wage packet at the end of the week, most of it goes towards the cost of childcare. It has to be subsidised to make sure that a person who is working and contributing to the State to help other people will get a contribution towards the cost of childcare.

Earlier, we had a meeting in the audiovisual room with representatives of the early years sector. The Minister had sent his apologies and said he could not make it, which was a pity because it took only an hour or an hour and a half. I understand he made it to Croom recently, where he met people, including my mother-in-law.

See this speech in context