Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I thank Senator Henry for allowing me to contribute to this debate. The motion emphasises the need to consider the needs of parents who choose to care for their children themselves. Senator Cox and others have spoken about this aspect of the matter. Tax individualisation, which was mentioned earlier, is one of the great injustices of modern times because it penalises families in which one spouse stays at home to look after the children, rather than working outside the home. Individualisation is a textbook example of how, with the best will in the world, one can inadvertently create a wrong. It has been promoted as a means of getting more people into the workplace. The tax system makes it difficult for people to return to work because it treats them so harshly. It is unfortunate that when we created an incentive to get people to return to the workforce, we imposed a penalty on those who choose to stay at home. I urge the Government to examine, in advance of the forthcoming budget, whether it is possible to satisfy both camps in this regard. It would be wrong to continue to send the message that has been sent until now, although I was glad that the Minister, Deputy Michael McDowell, said today that "society must value parenting in the home". I have not read the Minister's script to check whether he meant to say that — his remarks may have been unscripted. It is easy for him to say that, but achieving it will be quite different.

I would like to speak about the distinction that is made between child care and early childhood education. The Minister told us today that children in the Nordic countries do not start school until they are six or seven years of age. I understand why some of the figures which have been cited may not be quite correct. I have some experience in this regard because the supermarket I run has been involved in "play houses" in recent years. When children who have had experience of "play houses" go to school, their teachers say they find it much easier to adapt to the educational system. It is clear that education and child care can be mixed together.