Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

Looking at the past number of years and the overall support given in terms of childcare affordability, we have made significant strides which have helped many families throughout communities. We also need to work with many of the SMEs and childcare providers, many of which are in the constituency Deputy Currie and I represent, on some of the challenges they have reflected to us as part of the budget process. That is why the broad work of the infrastructure division is to ensure the national development plan's strategic outcomes are underpinned with accelerated delivery. We are advancing that through the reforms that will be stood up from the infrastructure task force and also the additionality that will be made available in the context of the review of the national development plan.

A central and pressing focus in our economy right now is that we have serious constraints in energy and, in particular, water. Without those two fundamentals, we cannot deliver the homes and social infrastructure we require or the investment opportunities that will bring broader employment growth and prosperity for the future. Of course, there are other objectives in the national development plan, which I share. The broad outworking of this work will strengthen the provision of childcare.

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