Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Thank you. Six weeks to go - deadly. I declare an interest, not only as an expectant father, but also as someone whose wife works as a Montessori teacher. In any case, the conversation with my friends when out to dinner, or these days more likely sitting in a park, has moved swiftly on from stag dos and attempts to travel the world to Bugaboos, child care provision and the fact Aldi nappies are cheaper than other ones, something I never really expected I would have occasion to talk about, but I am taking to it with great enthusiasm, as the Minister can tell.

That does not mean that considerable concerns are not expressed daily by, as I said, my peer group but also on the ground, when I am knocking on doors, as well by my wife, her co-workers and many people in the sector. It is an insight into both sides of the debate and discussion. While a lot has been done and there is a lot on which to commend the Department and the Minister, there are a few areas that could still be improved.It may be aspirational and will depend on the country's finances and the economy in general improving, but there are a few areas I would like to flag. I would appreciate if the Minister could give us some insight on them, and perhaps they could go on a to-do list in the next couple of years.

First and foremost, the cost is still extremely high for many parents, particularly for those in the Dublin region and for families where both parents are expected or, more likely, want to work. This is often lost in the debate. People say they have to work to pay the fees but, ultimately, they want to work and to invest the time in their careers after building them up so much. That goes for both the mother and the father, both mothers or whatever the situation may be. While the cost is still high, it is acutely felt in the Dublin region and one of the factors impacting on the cost is the level of availability.

This is where I see it from the other angle. Being able to set up a Montessori school or child care facility is becoming increasingly difficult for the provider. The regulations Senator Clifford-Lee referred to are welcome and necessary, but they make the situation tough. If a person wants to provide a part-time Montessori school or child care facility, the church halls and GAA clubs are full and there is a distinct lack of enthusiasm from national and secondary schools to co-locate with preschool facilities. This needs a more determined examination as it is putting an increasing burden on providers. Both the administrative burden and actually being able to set up is extremely difficult. The reason I say it is acutely felt in Dublin is the price of property in Dublin.

We all see that prices are rocketing and that the availability of commercial and residential units is extremely low. That is improving and I commend all efforts to improve the situation, but the knock-on effect on the child care sector is one that is being lost in the discussion. We can have all the provisions and supports for parents, but if a potential provider is not in a position to convert a room in a house to a facility or a classroom that meets the specifications of the county child care committee, we are constantly batting things that do not apply to certain parts of the country. To rent a commercial unit in my neck of the woods - Dundrum and Stepaside - that would be suitable for a child care facility, one is looking at rents of €2,500 to €3,000 a month. These are exorbitantly high. If only providing sessionary work of a half day or a full day, it is extremely tough.

This brings me to the next issue. It is great that kids are now able to enjoy two years on the ECCE scheme, which is really welcome and does not get the credit it deserves, but where they have moved on to national school, there is a great fall-off when it comes to after-school care. After-school care is exorbitantly expensive and the transport requirements are a huge burden. I commend wholeheartedly every grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling or whoever it is that steps into that breach. However, we have to question whether it is sustainable. Can we keep that going? I would like to see a dedicated focus on the after-school area. Much has been said about community crèches. On Facebook both parents might appear to be doing quite well and to be successful, but they are required to invest eight to 12 hours of their day in child care provision. When we take out the ECCE, the early years programme or the school, there remains an awful big gap that needs to be filled.

This will not be solved overnight. As I said at the start, what has been achieved in the past two years and before them is commendable as is what was achieved by Fianna Fáil in previous years. However, we are no way near establishing what the ideal level of child care provision should be in this country. As the country modernises and becomes more progressive, which is welcome, we need to address the challenge of child care in a hands-on manner. People are always quick to point to Scandinavian models, and I recognise their excellence. I do not doubt that. Perhaps they are a bit more advanced in terms of their approach and we can learn from them. We may not be in a position to compare ourselves economically and as a society to Finland or Denmark, but we can see what we can replicate and put in place in the best interests of, first and foremost, the child and also parents, the wider family and society as a whole.

I wish the Minister every best of luck.