Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am a defender of the book and its analysis because I can see what it describes happening before my eyes in this country. Parents are experiencing rising mortgage, health insurance and transport costs because of the American economic model we are adopting.

I fully agree with the Minister that we have to address the rising cost of child care, in particular for those on lower incomes. The way to do that is to support all parents equally and get the budget allocation from the Minister for Finance. If we are serious about the most important task in our country, which is raising children, we should give parents the power to make the call how they do that.

We should not set up a system that discriminates against one form or the other and which will only reinforce the dual income trap. We need to listen to what Senator Warren said. We should provide support to everyone equally and let parents decide on the best way to spend their money. That gives them security and breaks the economic model towards which we are going. We have seen its effects on America and in the election there today. It kills social capital and a good environment in which to raise children.

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