Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

I acknowledge what the Minister said about the State not being able to mandate providers to get involved in the scheme. Would she also acknowledge that many have pulled out? It is a cause of huge concern for parents where their child is in a facility exiting the scheme rather than being included in the scheme. It would appear those providers are saying the incentives are not there for them to partake in the scheme. While she cannot mandate them to get involved, what incentives are being put in place? What specifically is the Government doing to target those childcare providers who are saying they cannot do this, that they cannot operate within this framework and that they are out? What are we doing as a Government to get them back in? The Minister and I and all the TDs in our parties campaigned to achieve this goal. I understand it is over a five-year period and it will come in phases, and I acknowledge the work that has been done so far. What can we say to assuage the concerns of parents whose children are in facilities exiting the scheme?

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