Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)

I very much welcome the work that has been done to date. As I stated, I hope we deliver the reduction in childcare of the lifetime of this Government, as it is essential.

I also highlighted with the Minister that it is not just the cost that is an issue for many parents who are trying to access childcare; it is also the access to childcare. As she is aware, I live in the youngest area in the country. Many parents like myself in Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk simply do not have access to the childcare they need. Demand far outstrips supply, which is why I very much welcome the establishment of the forward planning and delivery unit. The Minister might please give us an update on the progress of this unit and on when we will see high-pressure areas like my constituency of Dublin Fingal West start to see the benefits of the work of this unit, particularly in the delivery of more childcare places.

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