Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with Senator Burke in congratulating the three young scientists, young women from Cork. I congratulate their teachers. The prize was presented by Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn and she commented that women were excelling in science. She encouraged women to consider careers in science and technology. Congratulations are due to the teachers and to Ireland for winning the competition three years in a row. We listen to bad news stories day after day in this Chamber but when a country as small as ours is up against 37 European countries and comes first three years in a row this is no mean achievement. I congratulate the winners and also the science teachers and all teachers in this country who are doing their job for the country.

Like Senator Bacik I ask for a debate on child care. I compliment the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Senator Frances Fitzgerald, on her initiative in ensuring that the registration of preschool and after-school child care is put on a statutory footing. It is important to debate this important issue of child care. I refer to an article by a man who is very well versed in the subject, Fergus Finlay. He wrote about all the things he would do for education in Ireland. He said if he were only allowed to do one thing it would be to ensure that preschool places were available to all children. I worked in that area. The agess from birth to three years and from the ages of three to six years are very important in child formation. The seeds for growing the country are set at these ages. I congratulate the Minister on legislating for the first time for the regulation of child care qualifications. I ask for a debate on child care as soon as possible on the subject of preschool care, after-school care and home child care. The range of child care is very important for our country. We hear about jobs but if we do not get the basics right we will not get anything right.

On a final point of good news, I congratulate the Garda Síochána on the national text alert service in conjunction with Muintir na Tíre and the community service which was launched yesterday.