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

That is no problem. I am fully in support of this programme. It is fantastic. I am a Dad, but I was also a teacher in a previous life.

Bringing school kids to the library and establishing those links is so important in terms of literacy and encouraging kids to read for fun. It has so many benefits in their later life, not only in their progression in literacy but in their access to so many other resources as well. We are talking about an initiative that saves money, builds community and gets kids reading - so much winning, as somebody across the Atlantic might say - so we should do everything we can to improve it and to further fund it.

The one issue I will raise, which I know we have engaged on already, is that Irish-language books should be made available. Ba cheart go mbeadh leabhair ann i nGaeilge freisin ionas go dtabharfaimis an tacaíocht sin do thuismitheoirí atá ag tógáil clainne trí mheán na Gaeilge. It is very important if you are trying to raise your kids through Irish, which can be difficult, that these resources are put in place as well.

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