Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I will speak about Senator Mary White in a moment.

Since this scheme has been proposed and promulgated, Senator Leyden and others have listened to their own constituents and to the women and the men who are equal partners in child care and this should not be forgotten. They have been told that this scheme in many cases is unworkable, cruel, anti-woman, anti-family and anti-child.

I will pay tribute to Senator Mary White of Fianna Fáil. I am not being patronising but she has a genuine passion and interest in this subject. I read her document before I became a Member of this House. If she was in Government, this scheme would not be here today.