Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)

I will be clear. I am very happy to engage with the Deputy on this. I engage on an ongoing basis with stakeholders on whatever body of work needs to be done. He is right. We are unanimous in our acknowledgement across every sector within this Chamber that a job of work needs to be done and must continue to be done in this sector. However, while significant progress has been made, more progress needs to be made. Specifically, for example, and the Deputy referenced this, we must ensure workers in this area are appropriately remunerated. A sum of €45 million has been ring-fenced for that purpose this year to ensure that providers can continue and €350 million will be made available to them through core funding in the next tranche of funding. Equally, where there are gaps, it is appropriate that the Government steps in and makes provision for places being made available, whether these are State-run or whatever way they will be run. A forward-planning model is already up and running in the Department and there is a budgetary consideration around the €200 per month.

See this speech in context