The funding model for play and language support, PALS, preschools needs urgent reform. In its current form payments are delayed, often up to two months, putting many of these preschools in jeopardy with regard to their ability to offer a valuable service to the community. The Minister for Education and her Department need to look at the way the current service agreements are implemented, with a view to overhauling them and making them fit for purpose. Will the Tánaiste ensure that these concerns, raised by parents, are relayed to the Department of Education and to the Minister for Education?

The play and language support programme is an essential and very good programme and it is very effective. I would have been involved a number of decades ago in introducing the first kind of those language classes in primary schools and the impacts were dramatic in terms of progress for children.

We could use them around here.

I am sure the Minister is aware of it.

The issue is the delays.

There was a problem in the delay in actioning. There should not be a delay in these matters because there should be regular systemic issuing. It is issued now in the case to which the Deputy refers, but there should not be issues.