Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

How is that a point of order? The principle of a free preschool year was announced. The Minister says the three Departments are working together, which they should be doing anyway, on providing additional spaces. In this case, we do not have the bones of what the Ministers want to do. These amendments are sensible because they ask the relevant Minister to report to the Oireachtas joint committee and to outline the number of places to be introduced each year. We are being asked to make significant changes to how the system operates without knowing the alternative. Worse, it is open-ended because the Minister is not setting a timeframe on when this will be rolled out. Must we wait for a big bang approach in 2014?

These amendments are sensible and should be pressed. I cannot see why someone would not want the Oireachtas joint committee to receive an outline of the plan. However the Minister wants to sell this, there is no plan in place, nor is there an outline of the proposals.