I want to ask the Tánaiste about the communication this week from Tailte Éireann on early years service providers and childminders receiving bills for commercial rates. As he knows, they quietly provide a very important public service through the early childhood care and education scheme and other childminding services right across the country. To date, they have not been liable for commercial rates. It is big change. There will be a significant charge on different childminders, particularly early years service providers. I hope there can be engagement between the Tánaiste’s Department, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on this matter urgently to address it.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for the engagement he had with the childcare sector this week. This is certainly something we intend to examine as a Government. We all know in this House that there is huge demand for childcare places. We need to support our childminders and help them to remain viable and in the sector, not making life harder for them. I am aware that there are legal issues to be worked out and there is also the matter of the Valuation Act, but the Minister for children, Deputy Foley, is engaging with the Minister for housing to seek clarity on how childminders who care for children single-handedly in their own family homes can avoid being disadvantaged. I thank the Minister for children for the work she is doing on this. She will keep the Government up to date as we make progress on it.