86. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update regarding the way in which she has initiated the lowering of the cost of childcare in the State since she took office as Minister; and the steps she has taken for broader reform of the childcare model. [21093/25]

Sentiment score: -0.21

The programme for Government outlines an ambitious plan to progressively reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month, and commits to a review and increase of core funding, a reduction in the administrative burden on providers, capital investment to build State-owned childcare facilities and so much more. What steps has the Minister taken to progress these actions? Will she outline what plans are currently in motion?

Sentiment score: 0.27

I thank the Minister for her reply. The Social Democrats believe that solving the systemic problems facing the childcare sector in Ireland will not happen by doing more of the same. A triple threat is facing the sector. We cannot ignore that any longer. A dearth of places faces children and young people. There is a real capacity issue in many counties. There is also a lack of affordability for parents. The third key piece is very much the issue of compensation and benefits for a sector that is providing such a crucial component and role for our society - we are seeing a recruitment and retention crisis play out before our eyes. The 2021 partnership for the public good report acknowledged that early years and childcare is a public good, yet we continue to rely solely on the private market to meet that public good. Does the Minister agree that the State cannot continue to rely solely on the private sector to address these problems?

Sentiment score: -0.00

The scale of what the Government is proposing, and what parents are demanding and what the sector deserves, is very significant. To see that type of growth and investment requires strategic cross-party thinking on this. I wrote to the Minister a couple of weeks ago proposing that we establish a special select time-bound committee, páistecare, which would perform a similar role to and take an approach like that of Sláintecare, to spell out the vision for the future of childcare and early education in Ireland. There is real merit to that in the context of what is going on from the Government side and the cross-party ideas about it. It would be an opportunity to listen to the sector and the key stakeholders and to report back on the future of childcare, certainly with regard to public provision. I again call on the Minister to take the opportunity for implementation of a committee like this. We could all see the benefits of that in the long run.

Sentiment score: 0.47