Childcare Services
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-17
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Claire Kerrane (SF), Roscommon-Galway

I have raised with the Minister many times the matter of looking at other ways that we can quickly build capacity. The State-led approach is one for sure, but there is also the building blocks programme. I again ask that consideration be given to allowing building blocks capital to be used to buy existing buildings. In many towns, particularly in rural areas like my own, across Roscommon and Galway, there are buildings. It is the quickest way to build badly needed capacity in the early years sector.
The other point that is important to make is that we can forget about capacity if we do not have the workforce. Far too many early years educators are being lost. They are leaving the sector.
Pay is a major issue that needs to be resolved. We will not have State-led services and growing capacity to meet demand or come anywhere close to meeting demand if we do not respect and recognise the workforce. That means paying them adequately and what they deserve and respecting the profession. That needs to be looked at in this Dáil term.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-17/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-17