It is early.

Sentiment score: 0.00

The lack of childcare facilities is truly reaching breaking point. In my own constituency in north Kildare I hear from families who are constantly frustrated in trying to find childcare for their child. In every town in north Kildare the population is growing rapidly but the critical infrastructure for childcare facilities is not being provided. I am dealing with one in Kilcock at the moment. The impact of this failure is devastating, especially for women, who bear the brunt of it. Every day women are forced to make the impossible choice to step away from their careers, ambitions and financial independence. I hear story after story of women who feel that the study and hard work they did to get a good job goes down the drain if they cannot get childcare. It is unacceptable that women are thinking like this in 2026. During the last general election campaign, Deputy Kerrane outlined a detailed plan of how Sinn Féin would deliver early childcare for €10 a day while increasing the pay and respect for the workers in the sector. The Government, after scoffing at it at first, subsequently promised to deliver it for €200 a month, which is a roundabout way of saying €10 a day, copying the Deputy's homework. However, the Government still did not get it right because it has failed in its promise to deliver €200 per month childcare within the first 100 days of Government. Furthermore, the cost of what it is promising now is more like €200 a week, which is completely unaffordable for many families throughout the State. While affordability is key, accessibility is just as important because that is not there either. It is high time the Government finally delivered on its €200 a month childcare promise and increased the pay and respect for the professionals in early years education and childcare practitioners from September. It is mainly women who work in this sector. The women on both sides of this know that their Government does not seem to care about women. The Government does not need to copy Deputy Kerrane's homework tonight. She is handing it the solution, if only it would take it.

Sentiment score: 0.02