Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Is díospóireacht iontach tábhachtach í seo. Tá mé sásta go bhfuil mé ag fáil deis labhairt. I agree with almost everything that has been said thus far. However, I would like to draw attention to the areas where there are no inspectors at present. I include the local health offices in Dublin south city, Sligo, Leitrim, Louth, Cavan and north Monaghan. This could and should be addressed immediately. Inspectors should be put in place in those locations. Having been chairman of Galway City and County Child Care Committee for three years and as director of a community crèche in Connemara, I note that the number of inspectors is still insufficient around the country. In Galway, for example, the inspectors are totally snowed under with the amount of work that must be done. This must be addressed.

I noted what Senator Mullins said about having €5 million or €10 million made available for the quality assurance regime. I hope that in the budget in October, or even before then, we will see that money made available. I remind the Senator that his Government has had two years in which to put the money in place but it has not done so. Let us hope we see the money allocated in the forthcoming budget.

Issues arise over the privatised model. Certain companies are making handsome profits from it. I wonder whether we should be returning to more community-based models. There is an over-emphasis on the business side.

All the Government Senators who have spoken have done so very passionately but I put it to them that there is a budget coming up in which many of these issues can be addressed. There is no point in their coming in here on budget day wringing their hands and saying they are tied by budgetary measures. Pressure has to be put on every Minister to make this a priority.