Seanad debates

Wednesday, 18 April 2018

Childcare Support Bill 2017: Second Stage

 

10:30 am

Photo of Lorraine Clifford LeeLorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her very comprehensive statement. Fianna Fáil is happy to support the Bill and we look forward to it commencing. Our criticism is with the 18-month delay which did not provide certainty for families or childcare providers. I am happy that it is now being commenced.

I am very passionate about childcare, partly because I am in the throes of it as the parent of two small children. It is a key issue for women in Ireland. We need to improve the provision of childcare if we are to bridge the gender pay gap, a matter in which I have a great interest. I appreciate the Minister's commitment to the professionalisation of the childcare sector. I ask her to outline the additional supports she will provide for workers in the sector. As she said, their pay is not great. They are becoming more professionalised and their pay is not reflecting that professionalisation. They need extra support to provide the quality service they want to and have the ability to provide. I would like to hear the Minister's comments on that.

I am also concerned that many people living in rural parts of the country do not have ready access to childcare centres. I know the Minister is trying to professionalise and regularise the childcare sector, but parents will often find it hard to access. Does she have any ideas for moving that forward in an acceptable fashion? As childcare has not been to the forefront of politicians' minds over the years, we are now playing catch up.

The Minister said that separated parents can apply for subsidies separately. I ask her to clarify if the income threshold will cover the two parents or will each of them have a threshold they need to reach. As separated parents run two separate households, their expenses would be greater than those of a couple living together. It becomes a catch-22 if both separated parents have separate thresholds and it might mean that parents living together in the one household might be disadvantaged. I ask the Minister to make reference to that in her closing remarks.

The budget will be presented in a few months and I presume the negotiations are going on at the moment. Is the Minister fighting for anything in particular? Is she seeking to get extra resources into this scheme? Is it for the professionalisation of the profession or is it to increase the subsidy available for parents or is there something else on her horizon?

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