Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I, too, want to talk about childcare. Along with Senator Keogan, I attended the briefing by the Federation of Early Childhood Providers yesterday in the audiovisual room. As the Deputy Leader will be aware, I have been raising their concerns over a period. Yesterday, it was brought home to me once again the deep trouble that many of those providers are in. All the Oireachtas Members were left in no doubt that we have a deepening crisis in childcare.

One of the issues that came out yesterday is the choice that parents will have into the future. Many parents are contacting me to say that there is no choice at present but, according to much of what came out yesterday, there will be less choice in what is rolled out and will happen in the coming months.

Yesterday, provider after provider told us they were not in a position to keep their doors open.They are trying to survive, as Senator Keogan said, on subsistence which has not changed for more than 15 years. They told us of increased costs from insurance, heating and lighting, all of which have added to the cost of keeping their doors open. That is the issue they highlighted time and time again. Providers were there yesterday from Clare, Wexford, Louth and Kildare, and the message was the same from every one of them. They need assistance. They need the Minister to engage.

I engaged with a number of times with one of the providers who spoke yesterday, Sharon O'Neill, the owner of Busy Beavers in a little town called Castledermot in south Kildare. I raised the issue here before. This lady provides 44 places that are essential to the social fabric of that particular town. If she closed her doors, which unfortunately she may have to, then the social fabric of Castledermot will basically suffer a hammer blow. There is no other way of putting it. Just one other group is trying to provide childcare in the town. The town is growing and continues to grow. Those 44 places are essential. More importantly, many of those 44 places are taken by special children who need the care that is given and the training and education they can get from a person in charge like Ms O'Neill.

I ask the Deputy Leader to write to the Minister once again to ask him to engage. That is what those providers asked for yesterday. They are not getting around the table with him. Maybe, as Senator Keogan has also asked for, we can debate in the new term with the Minister on childcare because that crisis is looming. It is a crisis being raised by so many people in this House.

I wish our Irish ladies' soccer team the very best tonight and, indeed, in Australia.