I suggest, as I have already outlined, that the first line of contact is the local city and county childcare committees. That is the process. I would be surprised at this point if Deputy Wall has not engaged with them because I know he is very active on the ground and I imagine he has already engaged with them. If he has not, that is the first line of contact. Whatever proposal Deputy Wall has, it should go to them first. They are on the ground and can discuss with him the potential possibilities or the viability o…

The March 2025 pay funding agreement for workers in community and voluntary health and social care organisations, whom Deputy Cooney has referenced, represents a significant investment in the sector and provides certainty for workers and their employers on the application of future pay adjustments in the public sector. The agreement was negotiated between Government Departments and unions, with the involvement of relevant funding agencies and employer representatives, with, as always, the assistance of the Workplac…

I reiterate that the agreements reached in recent years, including the 9.25% increase and the 8% increase in 2023, are a 17.25% increase over a three-and-a-half year period. This is significant. As always, the Government's priority is to protect vital services for those who rely on them while ensuring sustainable employment for the dedicated workers who provide quality supports and services. The phased increases recognise that staff should be fairly paid for the difficult work they do. Notably, the ability of organ…

I reiterate that this is and has been recognised by all concerned, including the workers the Deputy referred to, as a landmark step by Government that ensures these workers will be automatically included for any general round increases in any future public sector pay agreements. That is very significant in the first instance. In the second instance, regarding the specific issues raised by the Deputy, an exercise is currently under way, which was agreed to at the time, to get a further, clearer and more transparent …

I recognise the Deputy's sterling work in a personal capacity as Chair of the children and equality committee, her leadership in that respect and her personal commitment to the issues in relation to early years in childcare. The view shared by the committee that the Deputy chairs excellently, and across Government, is that we should improve access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare opportunities. Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the annual early years sector profile…

Just to be clear, significant work is under way to encourage more childminders into the registration process. A review is under way in terms of how that is working and what we could do differently in future, including what further supports we could provide or whatever the case might be. I am very pleased to have brought that review forward to give us a clearer line of sight of what we need to do to get more of the childminders on board, recognising their invaluable work and the important contribution they make to e…

I reiterate that the process is an open one. It is open to anyone to get involved and to engage in the process. We would absolutely welcome existing childminders, including those who are registered and those who are not registered, all of them, coming forward to share their thoughts and views on what might be done to support it better going forward. I again reiterate that we hope in the coming weeks to make the announcement around eight proposals for State-led childcare this year. Including for rural Ireland, oppor…

Reply not given on the floor of the House The Department of Children, Disability and Equality continues to engage with the HSE, to expand and develop residential services for people with disabilities. Engagement is also ongoing to improve the process for service users and families to access these residential services. HSE Louth Meath disability services advises that it is fully committed to supporting the expansion of residential services for adults with intellectual disabilities, physical and sensory disabilities …

I thank the Deputies for bringing forward this Private Members' motion. My Government colleagues and I are acutely aware of the challenges raised in the motion. At the outset, I sincerely recognise the work of all those who continue to advocate for and support people with disabilities and their families. On the formation of this Government, the Taoiseach and Tánaiste were clear that a singular priority was to be given to disability so as to bring about a step-change in services for disabled people in Ireland. In th…

I move amendment No 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "welcomes the significant prioritisation by the Government of measures designed to: — reduce out-of-pocket costs of early learning and childcare for families; — better align the supply of State-subsidised early learning and childcare with demand; and — increase the pay and improve the working conditions of Early Years Educators and School-Age Childcare practitioners, as well as develop career pathways and promote careers i…

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leat as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dom. I welcome the opportunity to speak to the House on Pride. It is a time of celebration, a time of reflection and a time of renewed commitment. Pride is not merely a festival; it is a living reminder of courage, resistance and the enduring pursuit of dignity for LGBTIQ+ people. It acts as a reminder of the work still to do to allow the LGBTIQ+ community to live openly and freely without fear of discrimination or …

I wish Deputy Ennis well in his new position as spokesperson for his party on all matters to do with children. I acknowledge his predecessor, Deputy Farrelly, who gave 110% to his spokesmanship. I wish him well in his new appointment. I think he is in transport now, is he?

I wish him well regardless of where he has moved to. Anyway, I welcome Deputy Ennis. In relation to the question he has asked, I have always been clear in communicating that the €200-per-month programme for Government commitment is to be achieved over the lifetime of this Government. Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan, Phase 1 Report, published last December, sets out measures to achieve key programme for Government commitments on the affordability, quality and accessibility of early learning and care and …

In the interests of clarity, we must be clear that after any election there is a negotiation with various parties to make up a Government. As part of that, a programme for Government is written down and committed to. Those are the plans which will be committed to over the lifetime of the Government. I was involved in the writing of the programme for Government. When that was being done, the commitment was clear. This Government involves a number of parties and individuals. The programme for Government lays out that…

I look forward to working with the Deputy at the committee. Just to be clear, 25% of families are already on the €50 per week or are paying less than that. I absolutely accept that there is much more work to do. In recent weeks, we have introduced the fee caps. The full cost for families availing of just less than 50 hours' service - this is the full day service that the vast majority of parents are availing of - is €198 per week. That is when the national childcare subsidy is included. That will now be reduced to …

I appreciate the Deputy's interest in this matter. She has advocated very strongly in respect of it. I can confirm that €135 million is being made available between 2026 and 2030 for the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme to facilitate the provision high-quality and accessible early learning and childcare. The process begins this year, with investment in buildings in what is a groundbreaking initiative for the Department of children. Capital funding will be used to acquire and-or fit out build…

I agree entirely in terms of what we are seeking to achieve in early years. It is equality of opportunity for children in the first instance. That is probably the most important element, but it is much more as well. It is also equality of opportunity for women in many respects in order to allow them, as the Deputy outlined, to go out and take up other opportunities should they choose to do so. I want to comment on where we are at currently. The final business case is considered by the capital steering group prior t…

I acknowledge the Deputy's advocacy on an ongoing basis. I get that from Deputy Martin Daly, from councillors and from everybody across the system. They are very well situated to advocate. I get it from my Fine Gael colleagues as well. We are very conscious of the fact that State-led is one element while Building Blocks is another. If we can pour more into both or, indeed, other initiatives, we are happy to do so. It is a significant step forward in terms of State-led. We have never done this before and we are able…

I have raised the matter with the Minister for Health. Indeed, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to her for her attention because it is a matter that is more directly within her remit. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality does not determine the use of buildings when it is not involved in funding them. The design of buildings and the designation of space within them, including for the purposes of early learning and childcare, is a matter for the owners of the building in accordance with the wider…

To be fair to the Minister for Health, this has just been brought to her attention. She is going to look into it, she has a copy of the Deputy's question and I have no doubt she will revert. We would have to examine whether this the norm in hospitals across the country. Only the Minister for Health can confirm that. I have to say that the guidelines themselves actually refer to within "the vicinity". I am not saying that these guidelines are perfect, and we have had discussions here before where we were looking for…