Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to support the motion. I commend Deputy Funchion on tabling it. Childcare in Ireland is at crisis point and has been so since long before Covid. It has been edging towards disaster for years, but little or nothing has been done to address the situation. It is now urgent. The cost of childcare was astronomical even before Covid. Prices are now being forced upwards again as a result of restrictions on numbers due to Covid and the cost of necessary personal protective equipment, PPE, and deep cleaning essentials. This means higher costs for parents.

The State needs to take responsibility for childcare. UNICEF recommends that 1% of GDP be spent on childcare. Ireland is lagging well behind in that regard. It is behind the majority of EU countries. The average cost of childcare is €184 per week. For families with two children who require care, that means almost €400 per week or €1,600 per month. That is more than the cost of a second mortgage. It is not sustainable for families. Many couples are faced with the prospect of one parent giving up work to stay at home to care for their children. They have no other choice.

Many staff working in childcare facilities have level 7 or level 8 degrees but are in receipt of the minimum wage. It is no wonder that staff retention is a problem.

I recently spoke to a parent who had to take 16 weeks' unpaid leave at the end of her maternity leave as she could not find a childcare service that would take her child. She was told that children under one year of age could not be accommodated. She could not afford to take the unpaid leave. She did not know what she was going to do when her 16 weeks were up as she still could not find suitable and affordable childcare but had to return to work.

It is time for greater investment to ensure affordability for parents and proper wages for workers. Immediate action should be taken to reinstate the wage subsidy scheme at the full amount. In addition, there must be a gradual increase in investment in the childcare sector to try to improve the wages of workers and reduce fees for parents. It is time to start moving towards a publicly funded model of childcare.

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