A new childcare model is long overdue

Published: Thursday, May 07, 2015

At the Presentation to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) today called on the Government to invest in long term, sustainable childcare solutions.

Orla O’Connor, Director of NWCI said,

“The cost of childcare continues to act as a significant barrier to women’s equality in Ireland, impacting on the decisions women make with regard to - when to return to work, whether to work part-time or full time, the type of job to take up after unemployment, when their child will enter school and who cares for their children. Public spending on childcare and early education as a percentage of GDP is amongst the lowest in the OECD; the average is approximately 0.7%, while in Ireland we spend approximately 0.2%. Current provision in Ireland is not working to facilitate parents to combine work and family life.  It is also limiting the choices for women who wish to remain in employment.”

Orla O’Connor continued,

“Over ten years ago, NWCI developed an evidence based, best practice model for Ireland. We are calling on the Government to invest in a publicly subsidised model of childcare that is high quality and universal. We are also calling on the Government to deliver a system of paid leave which supports mothers and fathers to combine work and family life. There is concern among women that the government will introduce short term, populist measures, given that we are so close to an election. It is crucial that we recognise that investment in an affordable, accessible childcare model would reap significant dividends.”

Orla O’Connor concluded,

“As we move out of recession, there is a significant opportunity to invest in a sustainable childcare model that will benefit children, mothers, fathers and families. To those that will immediately say we can’t afford the new model, we suggest looking to the Nordic countries with publicly subsidised childcare models and systems of paid leave. It is no accident that they are the most economically and socially successful. If Ireland wants to follow their success, we simply can’t afford not to invest in changing our model.”

/Ends

For more information, Sarah Clarkin, Communications Officer, NWCI Tel: 085 861 90 87