Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am extremely conscious that when I talk about the powers of oversight and the powers of investigation that I do not want a chill effect to go out to the vast majority of providers that I said at the start of my statement who do exceptionally brilliant work. I think there is an issue and a gap here - a shortfall - in terms of the lack of requirement for a clear admissions policy.I hear what the Minister of State said with regard to the requirement to have a complaints procedure. Of course, there is nowhere to go once that complaints procedure within the early years service is exhausted. I welcome what the Minister of State said with regard to the new equal start model. This is something we have been campaigning for for a long time to ensure children from disadvantaged backgrounds can access early years services.

There is a glaring gap here with regard to the lack of admissions policies. We need to see that requirement rolled out across all services. It should not be an additional bureaucratic burden. It should be a standard part of every early years service in terms of the paperwork it offers up every year. In particular, I do not believe the Department can cast a blind eye to the sharp practices I have conveyed to the Chamber.