Michael McCarthy (Labour)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 5, before section 1, to insert the following new section:

"1.—The Minister shall within 6 months from after the passing of this Act prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on introducing an earnings disregard for the purposes of social welfare benefits for relatives who assist in childminding similar to that for childminders.".

The Minister is correct in that these amendments are being brought to ensure the issue remains on the agenda. We cannot propose more forthright amendments because these would have fiscal implications and would therefore be deemed out of order. Nonetheless, it is opportune to discuss these issues because child care is a political hot potato.

The family members who provide invaluable services to the parents of young children could end up losing out as a result of their work. People have been pushed into commuter belts, where they are cut off from their families and the communities in which they grew up. House prices and other economic factors are significant factors in the lives of such people. We must have regard to the circumstances in which people on the lower end of the income scale are disadvantaged for providing a valuable service to family members. I urge the Minister to explore whether there is room for developing this issue. This amendment has already been debated on Committee Stage in the Dáil, where useful exchanges occurred between Opposition Deputies and the Minister. However, it is important that the issue be also raised in this House, to ensure that those who provide this service are dealt with sympathetically.