Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I will finish on this note. I commend to the House Senator Cox's proposed amendment to this Bill. When one looks at the records of those who have the political responsibility in this area, Senator Terry used the phrase "catch up". Catch up in terms of what other countries in Europe do is one matter, but starting from zero was very much what this Government found because zero was the policy package we inherited from our predecessors.

The last postscript I will put on this speech is that when we are comparing figures spent on child care across Europe — I agree Ireland spends comparatively less of GNP on child care than other states — let us remember that in many Scandinavian and continental European countries education begins at the age of six or seven, whereas in Ireland, as Senator O'Toole stated, it begins at the age of four. Therefore, a considerable chunk of Irish expenditure on the education of children simply falls into the pre-school category in continental European countries because their formal education does not start until later. One is not comparing like with like and those figures must carry a significant health warning.