Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To begin on a positive note, I, too, welcome the final tranche of funding for the very important bridge in Northern Ireland. I commend Senator Terry Brennan for his 35 years of campaigning to see that project through to fruition. It proves that, although it might take a long time, if one sticks with it, anything is achievable.

On a much more sombre note, I was truly appalled by last night's "Prime Time Investigates" programme. I commend RTE for exposing the issue because, unfortunately, the apparatus of the State did not do so. Senator Jillian van Turnhout's proposal should be given favourable consideration and I look forward to the Cathaoirleach's ruling in that regard. I feel sorry for the thousands of mothers and fathers going to work this morning with a heavy heart, wondering whether one of them should give up his or her job in order to stay at home and mind their children. These parents are working to provide a stable financial future for their family and are relying on the State to ensure their children are safe while they are in the crèche. It is appalling should even one child's safety be compromised, never mind numerous children in numerous facilities, as we saw last night. It was not an isolated or once-off incident. Unfortunately, this is happening in crèches at various locations in counties Dublin and Wicklow and elsewhere. The "Prime Time Investigates" team secretly filmed what was going on in these facilities and went through the inspectors' reports filed on many more crèches which were found not to be up to standard. I have sympathy, too, for the many child care workers and crèches that are doing their jobs properly. However, we are facing an emergency. The children being cared for in the identified facilities must be protected and the State must intervene immediately to ensure that is done.