Lorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I was alarmed when I read recent media reports on the child care proposals of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, for the upcoming budget. No regard seems to be given to families in the squeezed middle bracket who have borne the majority of tax increases and public service cuts over the past five years. When I refer to the squeezed middle, I refer to those earning between €33,000 and €70,000 per annum. These families pay high housing costs and astronomical child care costs on top of that. One parent is often forced out of the workforce because of these child care costs, and nine times out of ten that parent is the mother. These child care costs continue to act as a barrier to re-entry to the workforce, even after the children have reached school-going age, and this leads to mothers being squeezed out of the workforce. Fianna Fáil has put forward a progressive tax credit proposal which would put money back into the pockets of those squeezed middle-income earners. This is the least we can do. Yesterday, I met an Australian MP who was appalled when I explained that families here are not assisted with the cost of child care. In Australia, 50% of the cost of child care is covered for families who earn under $100,000 a year.

I urge the Minister also to fund the early child care sector better. This should be taken in tandem with any proposals introduced in the budget. The early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme is chronically underfunded and it is unsustainable as we move forward. We need to start prioritising children and families.