Mr. Alan Gray:

I thank members for the excellent range of questions that moved from philosophical areas to the general policy and to detail.

Long-term involuntary unemployment in families has a significant impact on child development. When it comes to quality of service, one wants the best one can get. There is a growth in the economy with employment expanding but some families are being left behind. Certain long-term unemployed groups will be left behind, unless we find a way to overcome the barriers to unemployment. It is not the case of looking at two idealised models whereby one says here are exactly the same circumstances for families and which child care model do we want. Families living in poverty have associated issues for parents such as a greater probability for depression and a poor sense of self-worth. They want, however, to contribute, have a job and bring up their families.

Unemployment and child care are not two separate areas. There is a danger in our departmental process, research and even in Oireachtas committees that these are looked at in silos. Why is it that so few children from long-term unemployed families enter university while large cohorts come from employed groups? This is not simply due to the different types of child care provision they have. A significant child care rights issue centres around children brought up in poverty whose parents have major concerns about their sense of self-worth. It is also a key issue of employment.

I advise governmental clients in 80 countries. My advice for this country that I love most is that we look at an integrated way of dealing with this.