Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Sinn Féin, in particular Deputy Funchion, for using its Private Members' time to introduce this motion, which I fully support.

In the past 11 years, I have stood in three general elections - in 2011, 2016 and 2020 - and on two occasions, I had the privilege of being successful. I mention that because on each occasion the issues of housing, public health, public transport and childcare were raised. I see the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, nodding. At every pre-election meeting, the astronomical costs of childcare were raised. This problem did not arise overnight. Here we are, in 2021, with another motion and I very much welcome it.

The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, tabled an amendment. I know his heart is in the right place and he set out the good that he has done. However, the fundamental change required is completely absent. We have a piecemeal, profit-driven childcare system.

We have had many television programmes and I often think that we have democracy here by "Prime Time", "RTÉ Investigates" or other investigative programmes. Does the Minister remember the programme about childcare in Dublin? We seem to have learned nothing.

In all of those elections to which I referred, the constant theme for me was that the people were way ahead of us. They wanted honesty, action on climate change and coherent thinking that everything is interlinked. We cannot have a thriving economy if we are underpaying the predominantly female workforce. It is simply not possible to have a thriving economy. It is thriving on the backs of abuse of those who are in that workforce. Of course, there is a role for the private market in everything - in housing, absolutely - but the State must be the primary mover.

Having reached my age, I have had the privilege of working in different careers. I despair sometimes, but I keep saying I will not give in to despair because I am paid to do a job here, as my colleagues are, to articulate a different vision and different way of doing things.

It makes absolute sense to have a public childcare model. I am disappointed the Minister did not address that aspect. I do not expect him to change things overnight but I expect him to commit to a public childcare model because it is the best in the end. How do we know that? Let us look at what we know. In its recommendations published on 24 April, the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality asked us to "Move to a publicly funded, accessible and regulated model of childcare over the next decade." It did not ask the Minister to do it overnight. It pointed out, as all Deputies have done, the small percentage of GDP we spend on childcare, and asked us to raise it to 1%. It asked us to slowly raise that figure up.

If we take the countries that are successful in the area of childcare, the introduction of universal early childcare in Germany in 2013 was associated with a significant reduction in cases of child abuse and neglect, an increase in birth rates, an improvement in children's social and emotional development and an increase in maternal life satisfaction. In the Nordic countries, the position was similar.

My experience, when I worked as a psychologist many years ago, confirmed that public access to childcare makes a phenomenal difference. All of the research has confirmed that. Three elections later - it has been much longer for other Deputies - we are still talking about public childcare. It seems childcare should be top of the list. I am a university graduate. I am absolutely supportive of universities but I would put childcare top of the list. The reason that has not happened, of course, is that childcare is dominated by the female gender and we have never once put an emphasis or a value on women's work in this country.

I believe that we should build into that choice and make it much easier for mothers or fathers to stay at home and mind their children. I would describe myself as a radical feminist. We must have choices for people and within those choices, we must have public care as an essential ingredient.

The Opposition can table another motion. When it comes to our turn, we will table one. We will keep tinkering and the Government will keep making speeches telling us about the money it is investing. Ultimately, however, the Government is supporting the private market using the exact same model as it does for housing. Until the Government changes that model, we will not improve matters.

I thank Sinn Féin for tabling this motion.

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