Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

How can people work longer hours if they have to spend 54% of their income on the cost of child care?

I will finish by saying the Minister of State's party has a proud record in the past four years of doing many U-turns on many promises it made. It should acknowledge that it has got this drastically wrong. The party should come together. I understand the party came together at a parliamentary party meeting last week to discuss belatedly this issue. It should come together, acknowledge it has got this wrong, take on board the suggestion of the all-party Oireachtas committee, go back to the drawing board, get it right and ensure we do not inflict further misery and penury on some of the most vulnerable citizens in our society.

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