Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)

I want to raise the issue of building childcare facilities, which are conditional on a lot of planning permissions, especially in major developments. We are finding that facilities are not being built. Even if they are, the rent being demanded for them is too high for people to go in and for it to be viable. It is time now that we looked at this as a Government to see what can be done to make sure we have adequate childcare facilities built, especially in new housing estates. Where planning permission is granted for 40 or 50 houses, there should be co-ordination about putting in place adequate childcare facilities because parents are now finding it extremely difficult. They cannot access childcare facilities, and people who want to provide childcare cannot afford the rents that are being demanded. We need to tackle this immediately.

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