I thank Deputy Kerrane and Sinn Féin for bringing forward this really important motion. It is very close to my heart as someone with children going through the early years sector. I thank the early years educators who provide an excellent and caring service and who are absolutely not treated properly. I completely support SIPTU's campaign for proper pay and conditions. I thank the Minister for coming to my constituency of Dublin North-West to visit childcare and early years services and see at first hand the need for investment. I ask her to support the investment in early years provision in Ballymun that is urgently needed. People have raised the particular issue with me of young people in this country who can and want to have children but are deciding it is not possible because they cannot afford it. Alongside a cost-of-living crisis, we now have a cost-of-having-babies crisis in this country. Young people want to have children but they just cannot afford it. The cost-of-living and cost-of-housing crises have become so bad, our younger generations cannot afford children, or if they have one child, they cannot afford a second. We are one of the richest countries in the world on paper. The Government has record surpluses but it has failed to provide the most basic aspect of a functioning society, namely, the capacity for people to afford to raise children without living in fear and worry about being able to pay for the very basic costs. Barnardos has highlighted that almost half of parents are skipping meals to ensure their children have enough to eat. That is an absolute scandal. The cost of raising children in this country has increased by 60% in the past decade. Childcare provision is a key area in which the Government has the power to reduce the cost of living. However, it has failed to deliver its promise of a cap on childcare fees of €200 per month. We in the Social Democrats have a plan for making childcare affordable through public affordable childcare provision and early years services. This would reduce the cost for parents, improve workers' pay and deliver childcare for all those awaiting it. Tá costas iomarcach ag baint le leanaí a bheith againn. Tá cúram leanaí inacmhainne ag teastáil ónár nglúin óg. Tá plean ag na Daonlathaithe Sóisialta chun cúram leanaí a dhéanamh inacmhainne. Cén fáth nach ndéanann an Rialtas é? It is time to deliver public affordable childcare that provides decent employment for workers in the sector.

Sentiment score: 0.06