Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the investment that has been made in early childcare. It has increased by about 40% in recent years, so it is quite a substantial investment. Unfortunately, as the Minister is well aware, we still have some of the highest childcare costs in Europe and we are second in the OECD countries. It is quite substantial and it is still quite a challenge for parents to try to meet. A recent Dublin Chamber of Commerce report found that nine out of ten businesses reported that the childcare crisis is a significant barrier to attracting and retaining staff. Not only is this affecting parents, children and childcare workers, it is also having a huge impact on business overall and is potentially affecting our competitiveness.

What are the Minister's plans on engaging with the existing childcare providers who are the backbone of the current system and know the parents and their communities? How will these be incorporated in the Minister's plans to get to the figure of €200 per month, per child?

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