Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his recent visit to the Waterford Childcare Centre, which is a really outstanding example in my constituency of that kind of community-owned and operated childcare model. There have been indications from the Minister and from other senior figures within the Government that we should look towards public provision as well. That begs the next question of how we see those pieces of the jigsaw come together where we will get community childcare facilities, for-profit facilities, which will remain part of the picture, and how public provision of childcare provision begins to stitch into that. Are we moving more in that direction? What we have done under the core funding model is a significant step in terms of the State being involved seriously in the provision of childcare for the first time. Where do we go from here? What is the roadmap? Where do we see public provision fit in as part of this overall jigsaw?

See this speech in context