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

I hope I have demonstrated over the last four years my absolute determination to reduce costs. I have done that through the increases in the national childcare scheme, NCS. On average, we have been able to halve costs for parents. That has to be acknowledged. I would like to go further if I am part of the next Government. I will look to continue to go further but I caution on costs, Deputy. I hope in the next general election childcare is a central issue but I hope the debate is not just about the cost.

Right now, the Deputy's question actually sets out what the bigger challenge is. I believe capacity, rather than cost, is the biggest challenge right now. The big question the next Government has to address is how do we make sure every child has access to the type of early learning and care their parent wants. The first step towards doing that is to provide that statutory right to ECCE as 95% of children get ECCE right now but it is not a legal right. If you enshrine it in law, it places a greater emphasis on the next Government to ensure those places are delivered as the core of early learning and care.

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