Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to echo the requests from Senator Ardagh and the Dublin 8 After School Alliance. The alliance came before the Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth yesterday to make a strong case as to why we need changes.

I want to bring to the attention of the House the fact that over the past few days Fine Gael has launched the care of the child policy lab report and seek a debate on childhood and the care of children in childhood. The policy lab came about after extensive engagement with more than 2,500 participants via a survey, followed by intensive policy kitchens to allow group discussions, feedback and the shaping of ideas from parents, childcare providers and early years professionals, which was particularly instructive. The resounding message is the underdevelopment of early childhood policies in Ireland, and that this is hampering progress and well-being in our society and stifling opportunity in childhood. I would like that to be the subject of a debate.

All children in Ireland should have the opportunity to participate in universal early childhood education and care systems developed around their needs, regardless of where they live. The recommendations are based around three cornerstones, namely, parents, providers and staff, with the well-being of the children being the overall priority. The recommendations include filling the yawning gaps in services that make life so difficult for parents, requiring flexibility and local access, making service more accessible and affordable and offering parents a chance to participate in policy.

We need a broadening of the national childcare scheme to include that universal component. I hope, on the basis of all of our advocacy on behalf of groups such as the Dublin 8 group, that we see a significant change in childcare provision in next week's budget and that the gap is funded. I will end there.