Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

After what Senator Maurice Hayes has said, everything has been said on this issue and it is time we stopped playing politics with it.

I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on child care. I am aware it will not be possible to have such a debate before Christmas. It is an important issue which I raised in the context of the budget debate last night. The care and education of pre-school children is an urgent matter and I ask the Leader to arrange a debate as early as possible in the new year.