Mr. Tim Duggan:

We do. We have done quite a bit of analysis on this and we will see what way we can best package it for the committee. We are reasonably assured regarding our calculation of €290 million, or thereabouts. When one thinks about it, one notes it is close to double the increase given in the budget right across the board. It is a very substantial amount of money.

There are a couple of other issues, including cost and policy choices. If there is €290 million to spend, one must decide where it is to be spent and whether there are other more pressing matters, as in the pensions space and other spaces in the social welfare budget, or more generally in other Exchequer expenditure areas. Therefore, many policy issues arise over how largesse of the amount in question might be spent. There is also the issue of equity. As we have said on a couple of occasions, societal norms are changing and have been changing quite significantly over the past 20 years plus. I hate to pit men against women because I actually have some friends who are in the homemaker or carer role who are male and who, as a consequence, get as exercised about this as female friends. It is the case, however, that the circumstances of people who are now working and spending quite significant amounts on child care and making contributions must be balanced with those of people who are not paying large sums on child care and so on. That equity issue has to be teased through also