Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

The development of child care provision is an issue to which we need to give a great deal more thought. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform operates a scheme of capital grants which have had a certain impact. However, given the requirement, a vast gap remains. The difficulty is that unless child care projects are supported on the basis of their running costs also which occurs in a small minority of cases, families will face substantial payments of perhaps €200 a week.

We need to look at this issue from two sides. There must be a straightforward recognition that the annual €1,000 payment for those under six years is too broad-based and not related to child care costs. We need to recognise child care costs where they are incurred by a family as deserving of support and provide credits for vouched expenses in order that Minister can start to open up more accessible and affordable child care facilities to families.

The Minister pointed out how costly relief for both the employer and the employee would be to the Exchequer. One possibility would be to provide incentives for employers in developing the supply side and to provide assistance for families through straightforward supports against vouched expenses. Perhaps employers would have a role in this regard. As Deputy Burton stated, not everyone wants child care facilities in their place of employment. A survey I conducted in my constituency some years ago surprised me by revealing how small a number — less than 10% — wanted such facilities; virtually all wanted child care facilities either in their community or a home setting. Therefore, this is not the preferred option of most parents. Nonetheless, employer provided child care facilities could be one element of the structure we are lacking.

Perhaps the amendment will not receive the full support of the Minister but he might indicate there is scope for opening up dialogue on how employers might contribute to the development of child care facilities as part of a broader remuneration package recognising that employees have other responsibilities that must be accommodated in the workplace.

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