Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)

I think the Tánaiste knows well that most people do not read every word in a manifesto. However, they do listen to what the Tánaiste says in an election TV debate. This is exactly what he told the nation in the TV election debate. I will quote it for him again. He said the Fine Gael manifesto is proposing within 100 days of being in government capping monthly childcare costs per child at €200 per month.

Then he went on to talk about what he was going to do on college fees. He did not talk about roadmaps or anything else. That is what he told the people. Anyone listening to that would realistically expect that, at least in the first budget, the Government would do meaningful things to reduce childcare fees, if not what he actually said in the TV debate. However, the Tánaiste did neither what he promised people in the TV debate nor has he done anything to reduce childcare fees. Can he not understand why people are really disappointed and feel betrayed by him now? During that election debate, they were given the very clear impression that, within 100 days of being in office, the Tánaiste was going to act to get their childcare fees down. Will he apologise to them? When is he going to act to reduce childcare fees and actually not break his election promises, which he has just done?

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