Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague, Deputy Funchion, for tabling this crucially important motion and for her extensive work on this issue in general. I wish to show my support for this motion and I strongly recommend that the other Members of this House also support it. The childcare industry has seen a serious lack of investment on the part of successive Governments. This has led to rising fees for parents while workers in the sector are paid some of the lowest wages among their peers. This is shameful, but it is the unfortunate reality.

Childcare costs are far too high here. They are among the highest in the EU. I can still remember, as I canvassed with my team during the run-up to the February election, continuously hearing about the same issue concerning childcare throughout the whole constituency of Clare, namely, the issue of cost. The cost is not manageable and every week and every month is stressful. I was stopped at many doors listening to many parents telling me of their struggles to pay for childcare, finding themselves questioning whether it is worth returning to work following the end of their period of maternity leave. Some mothers told me they were sitting at home with their partners, adding up the costs, weighing their options, trying to make ends meet and struggling. One mother told me of the real hardship of trying to work out if she could afford to go back to work after the birth of her third child. This lady was working full-time with the HSE and earning a good wage, but she was still left in a position where she had to question whether she could justify the outrageous cost of childcare.

I was deeply saddened to learn that other women I heard from had no choice at all. They simply could not afford childcare and had to leave their jobs. This is a disastrous state to be in. No family should be worse off at the end of the week due to the cost of childcare or have to make these truly difficult decisions. We must also ensure that the amazing staff working in our early years sector are paid properly for the work they do. They are highly qualified and skilled and the value of their work often goes unnoticed. It is about time they get the fair pay they deserve. Again, I strongly encourage all Members of this House to support the motion.

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