Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State could have left out three pages of his reply because I know exactly what it means: it is the system as it is, as everybody who works in early childhood care and education sector knows. One of the Minister of State's final statements was: "Since the legislation was commenced on 8 June 2015, the Valuation Office has been updating the valuation list to give effect to this provision and the vast majority of such occupiers will qualify for this relief from 2016 onwards." Is he telling me that the vast majority of early childhood care and education premises, those which provide the two-year child care preschool programme, will qualify for relief? If that is what he is saying, that indicates a change, as it would include for-profit as well as not-for-profit bodies. The Government is providing for free preschool education as long as providers can supply the setting for two years. That is a preschool without a child care service. That is what the Government is providing and nothing else. Will early childhood care and education providers qualify for a rates exemption as education service providers?