Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Kerrane for bringing forward the motion. I have listened to many of those who have spoken on it. There has been a bit of nitpicking as well. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle used the word "transformative" in her contribution, but this is about doing things right. If we are speaking in plain English here, this is about giving parents additional time for their child to grow up with them. It is about making childcare affordable. It is about taking the pressure off families. It is also about supporting workers. We are aware of the wages and so on and so forth. Deputy Kerrane's motion is about using everything that is available now. Of course we want to look at a publicly funded model, but this is something we can roll out very quickly. It can be beneficial very quickly. I always say that from a tiny little acorn grows a mighty oak tree. The services childcare providers provide are one of the best building blocks on the planet. Despite this, we are not treating them with dignity or respect. I ask the Government to withdraw its countermotion, support our motion and let it be effective. It will happen very quickly.

It will support the workers and their families. The knock-on effect of this will be absolutely and utterly beneficial from all angles. I ask the Minister to please withdraw the countermotion. As I said, things can be amended, but we must work together. We are all trying to do the right thing here. I ask the Minister to please support our motion.

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