Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for being here. I am used to having him give me responses and he always genuinely does so with such heart and in a very helpful manner. I know it is not easy when it is a Minister with another portfolio altogether who should be here answering.

The issue I raise is a really important one that I came across about two weeks ago. We all know we need a consistent childcare service. Childcare, of course, takes many different forms. We can talk about crèche or preschool, but people who mind children in their own homes are also very much valued and a very important part of childcare arrangements. Childminders are now required to be registered. That is to protect them and to protect families, children, etc. In Kildare alone, we have about 9,000 children in childcare. That is very significant. If anything were to happen - and, unfortunately, there are many challenges there at the moment - just think of all those people whom we rely on and who could not go to work, those key workers who may not be able to go to teach in school or may not be able to go to the local hospital as nurses, doctors or other staff, and there are so many other areas. Looking back a few years ago, I saw there were 90 registered childcare providers, but I suspect there are quite a lot more now. Two weeks ago, a lady in Newbridge, Margaret Donohoe, was contacted by Tailte Éireann to say that the playroom she, as a childminder, had in her home was going to be assessed for commercial rates. There was always the view and understanding that childminders were exempt from paying rates and we know that community childcare facilities are exempt from paying rates. Obviously, there are private businesses in childcare, etc., and they are treated as businesses. I contend that somebody who minds children in their own home is, technically, not running a business. This issue is a real concern. There is no doubt that many childminders, if they felt they were liable to pay rates, would cease operating. That would have a huge impact on those who are working and, indeed, those who are not working but, for different reasons, need to have childcare in place. Childminders have never been assessed for rates and now there is a grey area in terms of whether they are to be. We know that commercial rates are a charge based on the value of commercial properties.

Honestly, I think this would be a completely wrong step. I want to know at this point whether the Minister will say that childminders in their own homes are exempt and make that a very clear directive. That is what should happen because, while we have uncertainty, that causes problems, but equally, or more so, if there were a directive that childcare providers in their own homes were liable for rates, that would be an incredibly retrograde step.