Before I speak on the substantive issue, I commend and thank my colleague, Deputy Crowe, for raising the previous issue and add my support to it. We need to do all we possibly can and more to halt, as best we can, the genocide that is taking place in Gaza. It is truly an affront to our collective humanity. My Topical Issue relates to the provision of a premises in Tramore for Naíonra Philib Barún. We have there a thriving Irish-medium early years facility, full to capacity on a Department of education-owned site adjacent to a Gaelscoil. The Government has failed and is continuing to fail to fund a proper building, seemingly because the naíonra, as the vast bulk of naíonraí do, serves ECCE-aged children. Naíonra Philib Barún has been at the heart of early years education in Tramore since 1983. It is rooted in the community and, as I alluded, affiliated with Gaelscoil Philib Barún, and it is central to the development of Irish-medium education in the town. Tá an naíonra seo ag feidhmiú i seomra amháin i seanprefab gan an spás ná an caighdeán atá de dhíth nó atá tuillte ag na páistí. Tá sé lonnaithe i suíomh atá faoi úinéireacht na Roinne oideachais. Tá an tseirbhís lán go béal. Tá liosta feithimh ann. Tá suíomh nua ina seilbh acu, ach toisc go dtosaíonn an naíonra le páistí ó dhá bhliain agus ocht mí faoin scéim ECCE, tá siad eisiata ó mhaoiniú caipitil faoin scéim building blocks extension. Tá sé sin míréasúnta agus déanann sé dochar don earnáil Ghaeilge, sna luathbhlianta go háirithe, ar an taobh sin de Chontae Phort Láirge. Twenty-two children attend the naíonra daily. The service also includes a morning and an afterschool service for children attending Gaelscoil Philib Barún. It is operating out of a single room in an old prefab that has long passed its sell-by date. With an extra room, they could double their capacity since the demand is there, as shown by the waiting list. They have secured a new and better site right beside the Gaelscoil but because they deliver the ECCE programme and do not take children from one year of age, they are blocked from accessing capital support. I raised the matter in a parliamentary question last week and, if I am honest, the Minister's reply did not inspire much confidence. It was a stock answer and simply referred the naíonra to the local childcare committee, suggesting it might be able to point them in the right direction. If we are honest, that is not a solution. It was so weak, I am not sure if it even qualifies as a cop-out. The question is simple: if a naíonra like Naíonra Philib Barún, with its record, capacity, demand and a new site, which is ready to go, cannot access capital support from the Department, then who can? What does it say about the Department of children and the Government's approach to Irish-medium early years education? I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, to relay my disappointment and the long-standing disappointment of those involved in the naíonra to the Minister for children. I ask that she would look again at how her Department chooses the projects it will fund, and that she will make the right call by providing the capital necessary to build a new premises for Naíonra Philib Barún.

Sentiment score: -0.02

With respect, if Government policy excludes a thriving, oversubscribed naíonra providing the only service of its type in a large urban catchment area, that already has secured a site and that has huge community backing, then the policy is not working and the prioritisation is not right. I ndáiríre, tá a fhios agam go bhfuil an tAire Stáit ag tabhairt na teachtaireachta seo thar ceann an Aire, an Teachta Foley, ach níor fhreagair sí an cheist sa mhéid sin. I understand the response is from the Minister and is not necessarily the response of the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, but it sidesteps the issue. In one breath, it says that Naíonra Philib Barún did not apply for funding, but in the previous line it says the naíonra would not qualify for it in the first place. Of course it did not apply for a fund for which it was categorically told it would not qualify. I thought I made my point clear: it is that the priority of the Department in regard to the scheme is wrong in that it excludes from funding facilities like Naíonra Philib Barún, other naíonraí and early years facilities that do not cater to one-year-olds and two-year-olds, but start at the ECCE starting age of two years and eight months upwards. Níl ach cothromaíocht á lorg ag Naíonra Philip Barún. Is seirbhís ECCE a chuireann an naíonra seo ar fáil, mar a dúirt mé, a chuireann ar chumas na bpáistí foghlaim trí Ghaeilge agus a bheith in ann freastal ar an nGaelscoil máguaird. Tacaíonn sé le teaghlaigh áitiúla agus cuireann sé le líon na ndaltaí sa Ghaelscoil sa cheantar, chomh maith leis an nGaelcholáiste istigh i gCathair Phort Láirge atá taobh léi. Is dócha, mar Ghaeil, tá muid ag iarraidh go mbeidh daoine in ann freastal ar naíonra, Gaelscoil, Gaelcholáiste agus ollscoil trí mheán na Gaeilge. Muna bhfuil muid ag tacú leis sin, tá teip á déanamh ag an Rialtas. The response reinforces the problem and shows the policy is inflexible and out of step with the real world needs. I welcome that the Minister is considering changing the policy. I ask that the message goes back very clearly that it must happen without further delay.

Sentiment score: 0.03