Tony Kett (Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Seanad Eireann" and substitute the following:

"notes:

—the considerable progress which has been made in increasing the availability of quality and affordable child care places across the country through the equal opportunities child care programme and other Government initiatives;

—the provision of an additional 36,500 new child care places, as a result of funding allocated to date under the equal opportunities child care programme;

—the very significant increase in child benefit which is available to all parents of children under 16, and children under 19 if they are in full-time education, which affords choices to parents in relation to the care of their children;

—the fourfold increase since 1997 in child benefit expenditure, from €506 million to over €1.9 billion;

—the staffing grant assistance which is provided under the equal opportunities child care programme which aims to ensure that these grants target community-based not-for-profit groups which serve families who are disadvantaged;

and endorses this Government's ongoing commitment to

—the development of quality affordable child care to support parents in employment, education and training through the equal opportunities child care programme;

—the provision of considerable current funding support towards the staffing costs of child care services which support disadvantaged parents;

—the provision of early education opportunities for disadvantaged children through the Early Start and other initiatives under the direction of the Minister for Education and Science;

—the provision of enhanced arrangements for parental leave;

—the development of quality early education opportunities for children; and

—the use of child benefit as the most equitable way of giving support to parents towards the cost of rearing and caring for their children, irrespective of the family's employment status."