Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I realise there is no simple solution. The Minister has clearly identified a problem. He has also recognised that there is social change. The question is how do we respond to it. The issues the Minister mentioned are mainly based around providing money for child care facilities. What we are talking about is giving people the opportunity of not working for one, two or three years while their children are very small and of surviving on one income. That is what is at stake.

The Minister is addressing other issues. There is a tremendous number of women at work, a huge number of two income families. We welcome this. A number of those two income families would like for a short period to have the opportunity for one of the spouses to stay at home to look after the family. This House has not given them the facility to take one to three years out of the workforce. What we are talking about is making it economically feasible for people to take time out for a relatively short period to get their children started at school and so on. The €770 home carer's tax credit does not come near enough to bridging the gap. The Minister recognises the difficulty and I think I hear him saying the right things, that he will look at it for inclusion next year. In the context of my interpretation that he will look at it for inclusion next year, I withdraw the amendment.

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