Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I set out a number of measures and supports in my initial reply for stay-at-home parents and that needs to be acknowledged. I have done that because of the value the Government places on parenting and the provision of support by families for children.

I have been asked questions about this year's budget and other measures. I have begun initial discussions with the Minister for Finance but I am in the middle of them and I will not indicate right now all of the measures I am trying to secure. I am committed to provide supports for all families, including those with stay-at-home parents. The child care infrastructure I have set up enables women to have the choice to move into the workforce and have their children cared for. Many women do not have that choice given the current expensive cost of child care. There is potential to improve the measures for stay-at-home parents, particularly in relation to what we have identified as ways of supporting families and children in the upcoming early years strategy. We recently had an open debate about that. I will publish the strategy later.

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