Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht an Bille seo a chur os ár gcomhair. Tá sé fíor-thábhachtach agus táim lán-sásta a rá go bhfuilimid ag tabhairt tacaíocht dó. Maternal employment in Ireland is lagging critically behind other OECD countries. With Ireland sitting in 33rd position, way behind Sweden which is to the fore in first position, it is clear that the low level of participation by women in the workforce is the most significant contributor. As we know, it has been well documented by many sources that the lack of affordable child care is one of the most significant barriers to participation by women in the workforce. It inhibits both those already in employment from seeking increased hours of works and stay-at-home mothers from re-entering the workforce or education. According to a survey of 800 women undertaken by Citrix entitled the Baby Brain Drain, more that 3,000 mothers are leaving the workforce annually due to the excessive costs of child care and it is costing Irish companies an estimated €68 million.

Globally, maternal employment rates generally fell slightly following the start of the economic crisis in 2008, and in many cases have still not yet quite returned to pre-crisis levels. Not surprisingly, maternal employment rates tend to vary with the number of children living in the household. In most countries, employment rates for mothers decrease as the number of children increases, with the decline particularly large once the mother has three or more children who are 14 years old or younger. Universally, prohibitive child care costs are identified as the biggest single barrier to labour force participation and it is high time that child care services were viewed alongside transport or technology as an essential element of economic infrastructure. Enabling women who want to work, or want to work more, brings financial benefits to their own family incomes and also to the wider economy.

However labour market participation is not the only progression indicator on which Ireland is lagging. Across the OECD policy makers are concerned about child well-being and child development. Ireland’s ranking in this regard has been determined by poor investment in pre-school child development resources, where traditionally we have left it until primary school for such investment to take shape. Needless to say vulnerable children, such as those with an intellectual or sensory disability or pre-school children with special medical needs, are failed entirely in terms of equitable access to appropriate day care or pre-school interventions. I acknowledge that the Minister mentioned the area of access for children with special needs, but I would like to see more detail and I hope that it will involve truly inclusive interventions.

In respect of child care workers, we have to address the issue of pay. We have some fantastic, dedicated committed people in the child care sector and we need to keep them there. Their pay and conditions need to be examined. I call for that to take place. This Bill is definitely an important step on the way to bringing Ireland in line with international best practice. Investment in early years care and education will mean that more children are accessing affordable, quality services and that more women are facilitated to participate in the workforce both during the pre-school years and after the commencement of primary school and, indeed, are also afforded opportunities to participate in education. The Bill provides for universal and enhanced supports for families, based on an assessment of income model. It represents a major step forward in dealing with an historic underinvestment in child care which includes an underinvestment in children, women and child care workers. It is imperative that any investment in early childhood resources reaches to fair pay and conditions for workers in the sector, as I have already outlined, and that, minimally, they will be paid a living wage. In this centenary year celebrating women’s suffrage, mná na hÉireann are still having to negotiate parity of esteem on the most basic equality issue - equal access to the workforce and to education. Removing the obstacles to participation is a long overdue step.

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