Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, I raised the issue of the assault on the integrity and sovereignty of this country by a major tobacco company. The company has now been joined, believe it or not, by IBEC and the US Chamber of Commerce in threatening the Government of this country on legislation that passed through this House which mandates plain packaging for cigarettes. I am merely putting down another marker that I hope that this will stiffen the Government's resolve. To use American parlance directed at the US Chamber of Commerce and IBEC, "Butt out, guys." It is the right of the Parliament of this country to pass legislation that we believe is in the best interests of the health of the nation, and to suggest that there will be some loss of tax revenue as a result completely ignores the significant amounts spent on the health service as a consequence of smokers suffering and, sadly, dying of lung cancer. I am keeping it on the agenda. I hope that the Leader will continue to convey the stiff resolve of this House, as reflected last year in the passage of the Bill, to ensure that the Bill goes through the lower House.

I also propose an amendment to the Order of Business: that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Reilly, come before the House to explain the Government's policy on child care costs. Yesterday, we heard from over 2,000 volunteers and others employed on miserly wages in the child care sector from all parts, including my part, of the country. Here, I declare an interest in that I am chairperson in a voluntary capacity of the County Leitrim Childcare Committee and I am, in a sense, at the coalface of what is going on in child care in my county. I do not profess to be an expert in it, but I know that what they were out there complaining about yesterday is a valid and legitimate cause. It is extraordinary that people who have gone through the education system and attained qualifications up to third level are being paid €10 an hour, which is just above the minimum wage. I thank the Cathaoirleach for his indulgence. There is a desperate need for increased investment in child care in this country. We spend approximately 0.2% of GDP on this area, when the OECD average is 0.7%. That figure applies right across European countries, although the spend of some of those countries is much higher than that. We also have the highest child care costs, along with the United States, which is an unenviable position for this country to be in. The child care costs imposed on hard-pressed parents in this country are 40% higher than average. Many such parents have had to leave the workforce because they cannot afford child care, which is also not in the best interests of society in general, apart altogether from the economy. For that and other reasons, it is vital that the Minister come before the House today to outline what the Government will do in response to the legitimate issues that were raised by the rally yesterday.