Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I really enjoyed my trip to the Waterford Childcare Centre and the beautiful poster I received from the children and staff there with the handprints on it has pride of place in my office.

We will have the opportunity in the general election to really tease out issue of the degree of State involvement in the provision of childcare because I recognise parental choice is really important here. Some parents, other than the two years ECCE scheme, do not want or have any further need of early learning and care. Other parents need a lot more. How that is provided, whether it is through a fantastic private provider, a fantastic community provider or potentially a fantastic State provider, should be a choice we give to parents. What concerns me right now is that there are parts of the country where parents do not have a choice because the capacity is not there. The private and the community providers are not able to provide that and that is where the State needs to step up now in the direct delivery of childcare. It will not be replacing community or private providers; it will be alongside them, supplementing them and ensuring every child has the opportunity to enjoy high quality and affordable early learning and care.

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