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

Following questions to the Taoiseach earlier on how we value caring work, I saw in one of the Minister's manifesto documents recently that this is one of his stated aims. I want to work out the detail of what the Minister will do, recognising, as I see it, that the current system is deeply unfair particularly for parents in the home. We support every couple in whatever parenting they do. There is an almost €4,500 difference in take-home pay between a dual income couple with an income of €50,000 between the two of them and a single-income family because our individualised tax system discriminates against single-family payments. It is the same with the new system the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, has introduced. I very much welcome it, but it introduces a further €2,000 disadvantage to anyone who may decide to raise children at home. A total of 75% of Irish children are raised by parents choosing that option but everything we do says not to do it. I am keen to see how we can reverse this trend because it is wrong.

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