Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Childcare,a two-syllable word, is enough to put the heart across any parent, first from finding it, then from paying for it. Fees are among the highest in Europe.

It could be called the baby mortgage. Parents who are already working flat out to keep a very expensive roof over their heads are paying an absolute fortune for the privilege of dropping their children off in the dark of the morning and collecting them in the dark of the night for most of the year. Many parents remarked to me that they have enjoyed being able to see their children in the light of day mid-week during the Covid crisis, which has raised new issues and is something we must consider as a society. With workplaces now reopening, what parents need most is affordable childcare.

We have excellent childcare workers in Ireland. They are highly skilled and very well qualified. The problem is the extent to which they are valued by the Government. Parents value them. They hand over the most precious loves of their lives to be cared for while they go out to work. However, the Government has repeatedly shown that it believes these highly qualified childcare providers and early educators should be paid approximately the minimum wage.

I have spoken to many crèches and childcare providers in north Kildare. Some of them have been forced to close their doors. The Government must step in or many of them will find it impossible to carry on.

We must rethink how we look at the sector. We must invest in it. Sinn Féin wants better. We want more for our people. We want to be able to give families a chance and workers a break. By and large, those are the same thing. In the greater scheme of things, restoring the 100% wage subsidy scheme would subsidise everybody. By looking after one group, we would look after the other. Look after each other and we look after our community. I commend my comrade, Deputy Funchion, on the motion. I hope the House will support it.

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