Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward the motion. The only addition I would make to it is to emphasise the need to ensure that parents can access childcare. Just today the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation was in Buswells. One of the issues it raised with me was childcare. While costs are less than previously, its members have huge difficulty in accessing childcare. One of the reasons for this is that some of the smaller services, in particular those which entered core funding and had to freeze their fees, are now closing because their businesses are not viable. The Minister tells us that more services are open now than previously. Seven services closed in Sligo this September. One in my home village of Ballintogher moved to community, but six mainly smaller rural services have closed. They are either in rural areas or on the outskirts of towns, run by local women for local communities. In the last year, one multinational corporation opened a service in Sligo. We are five down with no geographical spread. I have met many of the owners of these services that have closed. They are devastated. They had to freeze their fees at 2017 or 2020 levels in order to access core funding, yet the new service in Sligo run by a chain can access core funding and charge higher fees. It is just so unfair. It is a business model the Minister has forced on providers. His Department is refusing to accept their accounts, which satisfy Revenue. What is good enough for Revenue is not good enough for the Department. It insists on a different timeframe from Revenue. Is it any wonder childcare providers are tearing their hair out?

Deputy Collins said the Minister is due to meet the Federation of Early Childhood Providers. I hope he is and, if he is not, I ask him to do so to try to stabilise the sector.

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