The results of a survey of parents in Kildare have been published, the majority of whom do not have access to childcare in September. What those results mean is that a number of parents are not able to go back to work. They are having to reduce their hours or give up their jobs because they simply cannot access a fairly basic service in a very fast-growing county. We are seeing significant issues in Kildare regarding capacity and conditions for the workforce. While we still seem to be no closer to that €200 per month commitment, I really welcome the State-led pilot. It has the potential to do something really positive but I think we would all agree that is in the medium to long term. What can I say to these parents in Naas, Kilcock, Maynooth and Celbridge who really have no option but to give up their job because they cannot access this childcare service?

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. On foot of his raising it, I will specifically ask the Minister, Deputy Foley, to engage with him on the particular and immediate issue he is highlighting in Kildare. I take that point. When I talk about what we are going to do more broadly, he is highlighting an issue that is a factor in the here and now for people. We are significantly increasing our investment to childcare, core funding and the employment agreements for people working in childcare. We are fully committed to that €200 per child, per month in the lifetime of the Government. That is a commitment in the lifetime of the programme for Government. Myself, the Minister, Deputy Chambers, and the Taoiseach have all said we want to see progress made on that over the course of the next four budgets. Specifically in the here and now, I will ask the Minister, Deputy Foley, to come back to the Deputy.