Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Members should consider the manner in which, through lack of proper strategic planning, we have put people onto impossible treadmills of long commuting, high child care costs and lack of support in critical areas. Such an environment has been created for young families. The home care credit is one element of a much wider spectrum of policy in which we have been negligent regarding the importance of supporting families during the extremely difficult period they must face.

The planning structure has abandoned many such people. The Minister's quotation of the wonderful statistic from the OECD to the effect that they pay less in tax than they receive in some cash supports proves absolutely nothing in the context of trying to create an environment in which young couples have the opportunity and the appropriate support to allow their children to develop their potential.

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