Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I apologise. One of the Deputies, who is a gentleman — when I meet him in the corridor we engage in a friendly "Hello" but I will have to ask him to account for himself on the next occasion — explaining the reason there were so few women in Irish politics and why there was not a woman on the Council of Europe, said that the notion of going off alone to these meetings for a woman would be quite unattractive. The other Deputy, who shall be nameless and who had a few comments to make about me going to Colombia, made equally derogatory remarks.

We are questioning the reason so few women are Members of the Oireachtas, which is the most exclusive men's club in Ireland. I must qualify that statement, however, by saying that the majority of those who voted for me were men, to whom I am deeply grateful. I would like to see a critical mass of women Members of these Houses so we could achieve more for women in society.

One of the most serious problems facing society is that women want to participate in the workforce but the cost of child care is approximately €800 to €1,000 per month. Young families in the 30s age group have told me that the problem is horrendous. Women who are educated are deciding to stay at home because it is too expensive to pay for child care. Unless we have more vision in terms of legislation, we will deprive ourselves of the economic benefit to society of half the population who are highly educated.

The top priority on my agenda is the peace process in Northern Ireland but my second priority is an improvement in women's participation in the workplace and bringing about harmony between the workplace and the family. When my daughter started school at the age of three and a half, my employer allowed me to go home at 2.30 p.m. to collect her. I was able to make that arrangement but many employers are not so amenable.

It is sad that two experienced Members of this Oireachtas made statements to the effect that we are all too delicate to partake in a parliamentary delegation to eastern Europe. It was said in the Dáil last week that we were not available to participate in this delegation but I would like to record that I was not asked to go.

The Minister misunderstood me when I was trying to explain what I meant. I did not intend to be derogatory in any way. I know he is very interested in this issue but I just wanted to get the ear of the Minister.