Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

The programme for Government recognises the need to work in partnership with private childcare providers to make core funding work as well as taking the critical step into State-led childcare. The three main issues the Government needs to tackle are staffing, accessibility and affordability. The truth, as the Tánaiste knows, is that reliance on the private sector alone will never deliver the childcare capacity we need in communities, which is essential for workforce participation by women and equitable access to early learning and care. On May Day of all days, we also need to adequately recognise the role of our childcare workers. Does the Tánaiste have an update on the action plan in the programme for Government to build an affordable and accessible early childhood education and care system that includes State-led facilities, must be based on partnership, including with our experienced and trusted providers, but must also be bold in ambition?

See this speech in context