Today, thousands of early childcare providers have converged on our capital for a decent, peaceful protest outside the Dáil. For three days their services will be closed in a desperate effort to wake a sleeping Minister and a very much sound-asleep Government on this issue. Is the Taoiseach aware that 97 services have closed this year so far? Is he aware that many more are on the verge of closure in west Cork and throughout our country? Is he aware that many providers are borrowing money to fund their services, and many more are not taking any wages at all? This Government is completely out of touch and the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, angered these great providers last week by saying there is no need to have a three-day stoppage.

Only this morning did he give a little ground by saying there has been underinvestment in the sector for years. The Government is nearing four years in office, so the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, has had plenty of time to avert a crisis. Will the Taoiseach now intervene personally in the crisis and in what is behind this protest, which I fully support? The parents of children who use the providers are outside supporting the providers today. I will go one step further and request the resignation of the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, if he cannot get to grips with this crisis in the coming days.

I thank the Deputy. I gave a comprehensive reply on some of these issues earlier. However, with regard to services closing, it might be worth putting on the record of the House that data from Tusla show that the number of services that have closed so far in 2023 is substantially lower than in previous years. Therefore, while there are some services closing, the number is fewer than in previous years. There are, of course, new services opening, with 48 new ones having opened between January and August of this year alone. Some existing services are expanding their numbers of places as well.