Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister will be aware that the childcare crisis has been ongoing for years. It has been ignored by successive Governments, which have been more than happy to leave the enormous burden of paying for childcare to parents while the sector struggles with low pay for childcare professionals and providers struggle. Fine Gael has been in power for ten years now and nothing has changed. With all due respect to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Madigan and Rabbitte, I do not have much hope that anything will change.

The burden of childcare costs on couples is enormous. We have the highest childcare fees in the world, which in itself is damning. In Louth, in 2019 and 2020, the average weekly fee for one child was over €175. Families also have astronomical housing and energy costs to contend with. It is hard to see how parents, especially those with more than one child in full-time childcare, can be expected to manage this financially. We know that people, usually women, are being forced to drop out of the workforce owing to childcare costs and that many couples are putting off having children owing to the housing crisis and the cost of childcare. Despite the cost of childcare, childcare and early years professionals are paid among the lowest wages in any sector. Many work for minimum wage despite being qualified professionals. They deserve so much more than this. If only the Government would recognise that we would all benefit from providing decent pay and conditions for childcare professionals.

This Government needs to change its attitude and to value childcare and early years education as a long-term, stable career choice. Its response this week was to increase funding through the national childcare scheme, which is wholly ineffective. It is not the solution to the childcare crisis, as stated by every Deputy who spoke in favour of this motion. Sinn Fein's plan is to reduce childcare fees for parents by at least one third of the current average fees in 2022, reducing by two thirds thereafter. My colleague, Deputy Funchion, also has a plan to improve the pay and conditions of early years and childcare professionals, including the introduction of payscales and full continuous professional development for all staff.

We need a seismic change in how we address childcare in this State. The Government must step up and play its part. Its budget next week will tell us whether it is listening to the people or not.

See this speech in context