Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

More than 2,000 professionals and volunteers involved in the child care sector gathered outside the gates of Leinster House this afternoon. It was a peaceful gathering, the purpose of which was to highlight the gross under-funding of the child care sector. Despite many representations to various Ministers and Departments, this sector has been starved of adequate funding for the past number of years.

As I said, the 2,000 professionals and volunteers outside Leinster House today came together to highlight the inadequate funding being provided to the child care sector. A number of people from County Cavan formed part of that gathering, some of whom had left home early this morning so as to be on time for the demonstration this afternoon. When I attempted to bring a small number of them into Leinster House for a cup of tea and a sandwich, I was prevented from gaining access with them. Ordinary, decent members of the public were refused entrance to their Parliament. I do not blame the Head Usher or any of his colleagues for this but I do want to know why I, as a public representative, was prevented from bringing these law-abiding people into their national parliament and not afforded the opportunity of giving them a cup of tea and a sandwich. I was accompanied by a senior Member of the Lower House, my colleague, Deputy Brendan Smith. This has never happened to him before. I understand that another colleague of this House was prevented from bringing three or four people into Leinster House.