Joe O'Toole (Independent)

Yes, but I do not believe Senator Ulick Burke is at all worried that will happen. That is the truth of the matter and we must bear it in mind.

I have been considering the work of the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education, which has been mentioned. I have been considering what the Irish Childcare Policy Network has done and have examined the OECD report and the statements of the National Women's Council of Ireland. I have also looked at the NESF report and have tried to anticipate the content of the national equality framework for early childhood care and education, which will be presented shortly to the Department of Education and Science by the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education. Are there consistent lines and issues on which one can draw? Is there a consensus between these diverse groups? The truth is that there are many consistent demands and conclusions replicated among the statements of these bodies. We should consider them.

The Irish Childcare Policy Network has asked that provision be made for 26 weeks maternity leave, paid parental leave and free preschool for all. I am just summarising some of its demands; it has obviously made more. I want to hang this debate on actualities and real tasks that can and must be carried out immediately.

Consider the OECD report, which states we have a very solid support structure for four to six year olds within the national school system. I am glad some of us took a strong stand on this matter 25 years ago. The support structure is now standing us in good stead. It is important that Irish people understand that, in much of the rest of Europe, this age group would be considered to be in the preschool category. The OECD report also recognised that there was a very solid active and voluntary and community sector in the area of early childhood education and care and that there were strong local partnerships upon which we could build. This is linked to what I said about variety. The existing framework provides a structure on which to build. The report calls for publicly funded support structures for three to six year olds. The Minister of State signed up to this, as did we all. The support structures would involve school and after-school activities.

Consider the relief that would be created by putting in place the publicly funded support structures. The high-level group should take the first step through the current budget. The National Women's Council of Ireland has sought a very similar provision, namely, universal access and support structures for children between three and six. It has also suggested that there should be a certain level of support for infants from birth to 12 months and an advanced or different level of support for children from one to three years. It has suggested there should be a more regularised structure for those between three and six years. We must consider these issues. Structures should be formal while the activities and learning should be informal. However, in all cases the system should be structured. There should be a framework. One cannot just let it happen by itself.

I am one of the few people in this country who believes it is utterly daft that parents are regarded, under our Constitution, as the prime educators. It is grossly unfair on them that they are lumped with this responsibility. They should have a responsibility to see that their children are educated. It is difficult to understand why the writers of the Constitution said parents should educate their children. Their responsibility should be to ensure that their children become educated and to use whatever structures are put in place by the State to do so. We should be developing such structures for the younger children in question.

The National Women's Council of Ireland stressed time and again the importance of extending maternity leave and the importance of parental leave. A related issue, dealt with very specifically in a European directive some years ago, concerns the attitude of businesses to women who are pregnant, who have recently had children or who are breastfeeding. I have received many calls from women working in the lower to mid-range of middle management who, on return from maternity leave, are being in some way disregarded and treated with some contempt or are not being afforded equality of esteem because they have taken time out to have children.

In order to ensure the continuance of the tribe, we need to be supportive of child care. It is worthwhile reminding ourselves of the extraordinary announcement last week by the French Government announcing it was making sizeable grants available to "professional" people to encourage them to have a third child. I do not know how this will be achieved but I suggest a high-level group may be needed.

If all children and parents are not supported then this country will encounter the same problem of an unsatisfactory level of births as exists in France. Following a drop to below two, the Irish fertility rate has risen again but it must be raised to over 2.1. The Scandinavian countries——