Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I commend the legislation to the House. I hear what Senators on all sides say and it is positive that there is general acceptance that we should expand child care, particularly at preschool level, and after-school care. A larger expansion is required in after-school care. The discussion is very positive. While I cannot accept the amendments, I accept the spirit in which they were tabled. We share the same concern that spending on social welfare, which is a major commitment from this country, is not producing the outcomes it should in terms of poverty reduction for children. We spend more than €1 billion out of €20 billion on this area. We must ask ourselves why other countries operate differently. Throughout the world countries we admire, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and that north of the Border, all have significantly lower age limits than we do mainly because their public policy accepted a long time ago that getting people to be active in the labour force or in creating a business during their working years is critical in giving them or helping them to have financial independence. The welfare system provides a great cushion, but we do not want to see particular groups ending up for decades, perhaps for their entire working lives, on welfare payments. That is not the best outcome for them, particularly for their children.