Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the issue of the child care subsidy. It has been announced that 9,000 families will miss out on the subsidy due to commence in September. It probably does not seem like much to some, but €48 per month for child care for some families, who would have already begun to consider it part of their budget from September, is a massive deal. The articles I have read today point out it was down to the new computer system. We should get answers. For the past number of years, we have been updating and installing new computer systems for the public service card. I thought there would be some crossover in terms of being able to administer the child care subsidy through the administration put in place for the public service card. Perhaps this is an answer we need to find out with regard to trying to move this along so there is not a hefty wait for people with regard to child care.

On a more personal note, I wish to honour my father, who passed away this day four years ago. When I drove through the gates today, I was thinking about what he taught me about politics. My father grew up in a one-bedroom tenement in poverty on Usher's Quay, and places such as here and Trinity College were so out of bounds for someone growing up in that situation that he never got to walk through the gates of Leinster House. He taught me two things about politics. One of these was the importance of voting. He never explained why it was important, and I am not sure he had the language for it, but he made sure we all marched up to the booth every time there was an election and he always took time off work to vote. This was as far as he got at explaining why it was important.. Obviously, I learned over time why it is so important for people to exercise their democratic right. The other thing he taught me, at which I have failed miserably, is not to talk about politics in the pub. I wish to remember him today, and the fact he never experienced this building, but I am here today, I hope after taking his lead with regard to exercising my democratic right.