Finlay: Department of Education needs to take hands-on role

Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay yesterday said the Dept of Education needed to take a hands-on role in the provision of childcare programmes following the Prime Time programme which highlighted shocking issues in the sector.

Mr Finlay said childcare was typically operated by private sector companies with little state involvement and claimed: “We as a country are not doing it right and I think we need to look at that.”

Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Pat Kenny programme, Mr Finlay said: “Like everybody else I think I was completely shocked and stunned by some of the images that were shown.”