Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will skip the economic returns to society. The Departments of Justice and Equality, Education and Skills and Social Protection would gain so much by providing €1,400 per child per Department. It would cost €240,000 to keep one person out of jail and crime - that is what we will gain. Children would be better prepared for school. There is less special education in countries where high quality analysis and research is done and there are better high school graduation rates and fewer criminal arrests, so investing in child care is cost-effective as a social element.

As regards inspections, the Minister mentioned co-ordination between the Department of Education and Skills and Tusla. Inspection is so important and we do not want it going in one ear and out the other. The Minister mentioned there is currently no requirement for inspectors be qualified in early childhood care and education. That must be corrected. With the extra workload on child care staff and the poor pay they receive, we cannot expect good outcomes. We must recognise all the work they put in with all the regulations they are given.

The child care providers are self-employed and we are always talking about the need to help the self-employed. The people who go into child care are very caring but they must be helped in the same way as any business. The Government should provide money, through Enterprise Ireland, for child care. The Minister should get Enterprise Ireland to go to the Department to ask: "Where is the money for that business?" We need big money because we will save it in the long run.

I will not go into paid parental leave. I know the Minister is looking at something in that regard. According to Tusla, grandparents are being used to mind children because, as was said, child care is so expensive that parents cannot afford it. Grandparents do the work very willingly but they do not want to do it 24 hours per day. Increasing participation in the workforce should not depend on abuse of the elderly. This is volunteers' week and grandparents are volunteers. In 1997 President Clinton declared November as a national family caregiver month, which is what we should do here.