Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the move by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O’Gorman, to formally bring childminding into childcare regulations. I welcome the language he used when he said that it is to be in a way appropriate to the home environment. My family has used childminders and I had a childminder in County Tyrone all those years ago. In fact, her name is Bridget Hughes and I chose Bridget as my confirmation name. I passed that on to my daughter, who is Rebecca Bridget, so we had a lovely day yesterday. It shows the power and impact of the childminding relationship and feeling part of their family. I really appreciated that.

We do not want to scare off women who have decades of experience in this. We have to do it in a sensitive way. At the same time, at the moment, childminders or the people in the home do not even need to be vetted. They need access to supports, training and first aid. Of course, we have the national childcare scheme bringing in subsidies for parents who use childminding as well.My two criticisms are that it looks like it will take a long time - it could take three to five years although there might be some movement in 2024 - and that it needs to be ambitious. We have a major issue when it comes to the supply of baby rooms. Other countries use an approach to childminding called "day parents". More men do it - two men are registered with Childminding Ireland - and it is a more standardised approach. We should also be looking at models like that. Our city and council childcare committees should have representation from the childminding sector.

Will the Cathaoirleach indulge me for one minute to say how much my thoughts are with Michael Gallagher this morning? His son, Aiden, was murdered in the Omagh bombing in 1998. Chris Heaton-Harris is to announce today whether the British Government will hold an inquiry. An inquiry led by both the British and Irish Governments is needed. The victims and survivors deserve that.