Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. I have seconded the Fine Gael motion on better planning for local childcare. I thank Senator Currie for her work on this, her continuous efforts to support families and her determination to find solutions. This is of course an innovative approach. The Government has made strides in supporting parents to access lower cost childcare. We have seen the Government investment, as referenced by Senator Currie, in childcare building blocks and we will see over €25 million in the autumn for extensions and the purchase of buildings. Again, that will be extremely popular, but there is a challenge in rural areas, as well as in our cities and smaller towns. I see childcare waiting lists of up to three years. I deal with families who come to me explaining there could be a three year waiting list. We need to see supports. In my case, I am looking at community childcare and how it can purchase, build and expand its service. The community childcare service in my hometown of Ballinasloe, County Galway, is in serious demand because it offers pre-school and after school. However, as Senator Currie said, and as has been noted in this motion, the Government has improved access, affordability and quality, but we are speaking here about capacity. We see the population of 5.2 million. We see an expanding population because Ireland is growing. We see families struggling because they cannot now get to work. We have more than 130 new homes in my hometown. That is 130 new families, but there is unfortunately not an increase in facilities. This means mothers and fathers need access and choice and they need childcare. It could be for a few hours in the morning or the afternoon. It could be to do their shopping, get some sleep or, more than anything, get to work. Let us face it, this more than likely impacts on women - the mums more than the dads. It is another obstacle for parents if they do not have a choice to return to work. That is income into the household and career choice.

Some parts of the motion we have highlighted are empty childcare units and applications for change of use and childcare units that are a component of planning permission, but which have not been built. This could be an opportunity for the proposed new childcare agency. The option being proposed could see the agency working with local authorities, perhaps linking in with developers as part of the planning conditions and looking at the option to lease to private and public providers, including the community childcare group. This option could help accelerate immediate capacity. It is a way for us to look at how we get immediate capacity, which I think is the goal of all of us. We are joined at the hip on that one. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, was in the Chamber earlier and spoke about the new ten-year county development plans, which will be linked to the census and things like regional growth centres identified across towns and the whole country. In my constituency, we have one in Athlone, County Westmeath. We have two key towns. That needs to be part of it. That is in the time to come, but we are looking at what we can do now for immediate capacity. I support the call for an audit to be conducted of empty childcare units nationally and that powers be given to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to compel developers to make empty units available for childcare purposes.

It is important we see supports in place. We are making great strides, as is the Department, in supports to reduce the cost of childcare for parents. This is the next step in that challenge. Our ambition has been raised and our expectations are higher, but it is thanks to the fact that more people, parents and families are availing of this. I will follow on from Senator Currie's contribution and say that this new model will open up new opportunities for small to medium childcare providers and community-led partnerships. It is about fostering a supportive environment for the childcare sector and also acting as a stepping stone to further provision in the future. That is under the better planning for accessible childcare from Senator Currie. I know this has been an extremely busy and active area. I know that the new childcare agency will give the Minister much more support in terms of a dedicated operations team. It will probably take parts that sit within other agencies and Departments and bring them together to drive real change. I believe this is an interesting and innovative potential solution and we could drive that to ensure we have additional capacity to help parents and families who are struggling right now because they cannot get access to childcare places.