88. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if Fingal has been identified as a priority area by the forward planning unit; the criteria used to determine such prioritisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61499/25]

Sentiment score: 0.15

I have mentioned many times that Fingal is the youngest area in the country and is also the fastest growing. Balbriggan is the youngest large town in the country and yet, we have a serious lack of childcare places. In January 2024, a supply management unit was set up in the Minister's Department. It was later renamed the forward planning unit yet nearly two years later, families in Fingal are still waiting. We still have no visible output from the Minister's forward planning unit. Can the Minister please tell us when we will see some output, if Fingal is going to be prioritised and when we can see more childcare places delivered?

Sentiment score: -0.03

It is nearly two years. There has to be a sense of urgency by this unit. We need to see a plan from it and we need to see a clear timeline as to when we are going to see outputs. I am not asking for the specifics but I am asking to make sure this Department is delivering. Two years is simply not good enough. People who need childcare are putting off their lives and quitting jobs. They are not participating fully in the workforce. We have discussed this before but female participation in the workforce has been one of Ireland's biggest economic drivers in the past 40 years. Childcare is an essential economic infrastructure. We have to move with a sense of urgency. Unfortunately, I do not see it coming from this unit. I appreciate internal work takes time. There are ways to get around GDPR with data sharing agreements, etc. We know the areas that are the youngest in the country and we know the areas that need to be prioritised. Why is it taking two years?

Sentiment score: 0.08

I appreciate that the Minister has only been in her position for nine months, but the Secretary General of the Department confirmed to me that the supply management unit or forward planning unit was set up in January 2024. It is nearly two years later and we still have not seen any visible output from this unit. Will the Minister commit to publishing the criteria that will be used by the forward planning unit, confirm that areas like Fingal are going to be included and will meet the criteria, and set out a timeline for when we can see more childcare places actually delivered on the ground?

Sentiment score: 0.26