Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I agree wholeheartedly with the Senator. I know from experience that many women who started off in community employment schemes in family resource centres, FRCs, or community development projects, were able to move on through additional training or returning to education to fantastic careers and could offer something valuable back to their communities. It is vitally important that we offer those supports through the Pathways to Work strategy, for women in particular, to ensure they have a viable path forward.

The childcare issue is also critical and the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, is keen to ensure there is a set of reforms in place to support the childcare sector to provide a wide range of services for women who wish to return to full-time or part-time employment. They might have a flexible arrangement in order to balance their work and life in a way that manages their families and provides the opportunity to give back to their communities, as they wish to do. The Senator made her point extremely well and I hope these combined initiatives will provide that level of support.