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

Living in primarily urban constituencies, the Deputy and I have to recognise capacity challenges are everywhere. Deputies Kerrane and Sherlock have highlighted them. All over the country there are capacity challenges. Part of it is that, because we have made it more affordable, more parents are taking it up with both parents going to work and they want their kids to enjoy the benefit of early learning and care. These are all positives.

I have set out the steps we will be taking this year and next, particularly in relation to capital funding. Hopefully, that will allow some of those vacant units to be taken up. That would be really important. It is massively frustrating to see those units vacant when they are built; sometimes there are just foundations there. The Department is doing important work with the Department of housing to look at the regulations and, particularly, enforcement. About 18 months ago, I met planners from about 15 local authorities - the main urban ones, including Fingal - to ask what are the challenges with the current regulations and how we make them better.

See this speech in context