Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. It is certainly encouraging, especially his personal commitment to the early years childcare sector. I welcome his broader review of the sector. The NCS resulted in a funding cut of more than 30% for them. I know this will be captured in the review and report, and I acknowledge the funding that has been put in place during Covid. It is critical. We need to raise this with the Leader and possibly have her write to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on this issue. We need to ensure adequate funding is provided to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and his Department to ensure every child has access to adequate and appropriate early years childcare. The difference it can make to the outcomes in a child's life is enormous.Those providing childcare services are organisations that go way beyond what the State could ever pay them in terms of care, investment and support, not just in education but in the social welfare of these children and their families.