Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

The number of Deputies wishing to speak on this motion is an indication of its importance and the number of people who are affected by it.

The Government has an uncoordinated approach to child care and a lack of coherent policy spanning the many Departments that deal with the issue, despite having a Minister of State with responsibility for children for a number of years. The current Government proposal has created huge uncertainty for child care providers, parents and the community groups who put major effort into getting these facilities in their communities in the first place.

This proposal is ill-considered and misses three key points. First, the loss of subvention will lead to increased charges to parents for child care when many are already stretched to breaking point trying to make ends meet. It will be particularly difficult for those on low incomes who are just above the cut-off point for family income supplement. Effectively, this means that even those on low incomes will now have to pay the full cost of child care. That will be a huge increase which will force many out of the service.

Second, the effect of this measure will be to give families little or no choice. They must either give up their job and depend on social welfare to allow their child attend the crèche, which clearly will not be necessary if the parent is at home, or work to pay for the child care and bring home little or nothing on top of it.

Third, the Government proposal is contrary to all it has said in the past about creating a better social mix. One Fianna Fáil TD admitted that it will have a ghettoising effect but his viewpoint appears to have been ignored. What message is the Government trying to send out to young children and how limiting will it be for their socialisation skills to be mixing only with those from a similar socio-economic background from such a young age? It is contrary to all good policy in terms of children.

The Minister of State, Deputy Smith, may claim to be attempting to improve access for those who are worse off financially but he is doing it in such a blunt way he has failed to see the implications of his decision. Many operators in my constituency have expressed their concerns to me. The members of one group in the process of starting such a facility have told me they believe there is little point in proceeding. Others who have magnificent facilities funded by the State worry they will not be able to remain in operation, which would be a waste of the State's investment.

The Government must re-examine this issue. If it is not prepared to listen to the Fine Gael Members on this side of the House, it would do well to listen to its own backbenchers whose speeches sound remarkably similar to our own.

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