I want to raise the issue of early years education and childcare. We know urgent reforms are needed. We still have fees that are too high, a lack of availability of places, and staff and workers who are low paid. The Taoiseach's comments at the weekend appeared to undermine the Government's commitment to a reduction in costs and showed a complete lack of understanding of the severity of this issue and how serious it is for so many parents. Is the Government committed to a significant reduction in costs? Can we see at last a publicly funded universal and affordable childcare and early years scheme? It is something that Labour Women and I have consistently campaigned for. The State provides universal public education to all children from junior infants to sixth year, but inexplicably parents are left struggling in preschool years. We find so many parents who simply cannot access affordable childcare and early years places for their children. This burden is felt predominantly by women. It is keeping women out of the workforce in some cases, so it is time for the Government to commit to introducing significant reforms in childcare.

I thank the Deputy. The Government is committed to making childcare more affordable and more available, and to improving the quality of childcare and early education available to children and parents. I am happy to confirm there will be a further reduction in the cost of childcare for all parents next year. That will be in addition to the 25% average reduction that occurred last year. As is the case with any budget decision, the exact figure has yet to be agreed and cannot be agreed until budget time. I am happy to clarify there will be a further reduction in fees for parents next year. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, is looking at ways to extend it to childminders and other sectors as well. I am afraid it was one of those occasions where the headline and the quote did not exactly match. The Deputy's statement did not make any sense at all because it was-----

Well?

-----disingenuous.